He's A Man, Not Amon
by sandstorm7
Summary: Why can't people see that when someone's sorry for their mistakes, they deserve a chance to fix them? How is making someone suffer for their mistakes BETTER than letting them fix them? What does Korra have to do to prove that even her oldest of foes are capable of change? (Post-Book 5: Redemption)
1. Never Thought It'd Come to This

_How did I get here? Well, I'm not really sure myself. All I know is:_

 _Being the Avatar will always have surprises for me..._

"I hereby sentence Noatak, leader of the Equalist Revolution, to be _executed_ for his crimes."

As Judge Qarnau slammed his gavel against the podium, Noatak could only bow his head, shackled and submissive. The jury started mumbling assenting whispers.

 _Everyone will always say I'm audacious...whatever that means again..._

"NO!" Korra yelled, jumping out of her seat, preparing herself to ignore all the concerned protests she knew she'd get. "You WON'T execute him! You _CAN'T_!"

Everyone turned to look at Korra in surprise, including Noatak. Qarnau looked at her as well, but only laughed in amusement, saying, "Then what shall we do, Avatar Korra? Just let him go _free_?"

 _And lastly: if I want to keep balance in the world, if I want to maintain peace, I'll have to do the right thing, no matter what._

 _I just...never actually thought it'd come to_ this _..._

Korra stood up straight. She clenched her fists, unwavering as she said:

"You'll execute _me_ instead."

* * *

 **NOTES:** So this might be confusing, but while this does take place after _Book 5: Redemption_ (by me), I'm not really considering this to be a direct continuity of it or anything like that. This is more of a "what-if" spin-off thingy to that if anything. Quite a bit happened in Book 5 though (like revealing Noatak and the Equalist lieutenant to be alive after three seasons), so I'm gonna try to explain or allude important points along the way, the things that matter. I'd really recommend reading Book 5 before trying to plunge into this, just so that you understand a few points better, a few characters more, everything it encompasses. Plow on through if you'd like, though! Also the cover pic isn't mine by the way. It's just awesome and captures Noatak's essence very well for what I hope to show with this fic.

This was just a little idea at first, but I've finally decided that it really could be a whole story, and wowzers is it gonna be a morally-questioning doozy at that. I don't think the world would really want to accept that the head of the Equalist Revolution would help stop the New Red Lotus (again, Book 5) out of the kindness and selflessness of his heart if they found out, something I completely didn't consider before in hindsight. ALSO IN HINDSIGHT I realized that the probability of Noatak being executed in the United Republic is a big whopping zero, since it was founded by Avatar Aang, the freakin' Last Airbender of the Southern Air Temple, and Zuko. I'm not sure if any nation in the Avatar world is big on that. That kinda takes the wind out of my entire fic (LOL) but, y'know, fanfic, AU, "what-if." Again it's not meant to be a direct continuation of anything anyway it's more of a character/morality study the threat of death just makes for compelling story-telling.

People like Noatak don't get the happiest of endings in LOK, and as seen here, Korra herself is going to do whatever it takes to change that for whoever she can.


	2. Lost, Found, Then Lost Again

_3 Months Ago_ _..._

Korra kicked the man up the last of the stone steps, sweating, breathing hard, the sun beating down on the both of them. He grunted as he landed, breathing hard as well. He looked up, gasped, and scrambled to his feet, narrowly dodging a blast of Korra's fire.

She leapt and shot a jet of water at him, teeth bared. "You remember this place?!"

His balanced regained, he stepped backwards, allowing the water to _just_ barely graze past him. He spun, waterbending the stream right back at her, though she slowed it down back under her control. He looked up. They were underneath the towering statue of Avatar Aang, in the bay of Republic City. He smiled. "A fine monument. Though I'm not entirely sure why it needed its own _island_. A bit egotistical, if you ask me."

A chunk of ice hit him in the chest. He grunted in pain, stumbling backwards. Korra followed that up by air-blasting him back farther, yelling, "Says the guy who stuck a giant version of _his_ mask over it!"

He slid back on his knees, wincing. "F-Fair point."

"Yeah," Korra breathed with raised fists, bouncing on her toes. "You know why I brought you _here_ of all places?"

"Enlighten me."

"We're here because this is where we first met, face-to-face. Or...face-to- _mask_."

He smiled, rubbing his chest. "Ah, yes. Fresh out of training, a naive young Avatar who didn't know what to do with herself, trying to make herself known in a city that didn't really _want_ to know her."

"You were _terrifying_ , y'know that? _Ambushing_ a defenseless, lonely girl in the middle of the night, threatening to take her bending away forever?"

He sputtered a chuckle as he got to his feet. "Defenseless? Hardly. Over-confident? Very. And weren't _you_ the one who _challenged_ me?"

"You _could've_ taken my bending," Korra growled as she ran up, planning to jump and twist in midair to kick him in the head. "But you _didn't_! You said it was because our fight was 'premature,' but you were _really_ just being an _idiot_ —!"

He side-stepped, catching her by her flying ankle, expertly using her own momentum to spin and slam her into the ground behind him. She bounced off stone.

He chuckled, his back to her as she groaned. "Ah. Premature, yes. Just as easy to fool now as you were back then."

Korra grunted with bared teeth. She kicked out, spinning herself onto her back. As she rolled and got onto her knee, she planted her foot into the ground, earthbending a column of stone straight into his back. He flew with a pained grunt, bouncing off of the ground just as she had.

Korra caught her breath as she knelt. She chuckled. "Wow. So did wearing that mask really hurt your vision _that_ much, or...?"

He pushed himself onto his knee again, coughing. "You were _behind_ me. I couldn't have seen you."

"Blah, blah, blah. Excuses, excuses. That's what you get for being _cocky_."

He looked over his shoulder at her. "Says _you_."

They both stared at each other for a tense moment, both anticipating each other's next move.

Naturally, Korra moved first:

She got to her feet in a crouch, smiled, stood up straight, dropped her fists, put her hands on her hips, and laughed. "Wow," she said happily. "Noatak, you and I really need to spar more often."

Noatak stood up tall, smiling as well. "Of course. You're lucky Mother didn't need me to stay with her. Sounded like you needed to work some things out there."

"Nah," she said as they started walking together, side-by-side. "I was just pushing you. Sparring's no fun if you don't give it your all."

"Sounded more like you were pushing yourself," he returned, brushing dirt off the shoulder of his blue Water Tribe coat.

Korra sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Well, maybe I do have a _few_ things I haven't fully worked out yet."

Noatak smirked with a small chuckle. "Don't we all."

Their sparring match had indeed been some cathartic fun, but it really wasn't because either of them had needed it. Korra didn't want to jinx anything, but everything felt just so...fresh. Balanced. Bright. She felt a dawning that she hadn't felt since she arrived at Republic City for the first time, all those years ago.

It had been three whole months since she, Noatak, and everyone else helped stop the New Red Lotus from bombing all of Republic City, which had ended with Ming-Hua and Ghazan both...

And _Zaheer_...

Korra shook her head. A few things that still needed working out indeed.

Not that any of it was even remotely close to what Vaatu had put her through, though. It was just a few snagging, itching thoughts that tended to peak up now and again. All the effects of Vaatu's attempted possession had vanished completely. Korra slept incredibly well, meditated when she wasn't training, trained when she wasn't meditating, communed with her reconnected past lives at least once (perhaps twice) a day, hearing all their stories, all their wisdom. Half of their advice she had already figured out for herself, but with every Avatar came a new perspective, a new way of going about a problem, a new person to learn about. And to _think_ that all it took was reconnecting with the very thing that had taken them from her.

Spirits. To put it plainly, life was good.

And not just for her, but for everyone else as well. Tenzin and his family were the same as ever. Lin had finally pulled enough strings to get Mako a raise from the Republic City police. Bolin was Bolin, finding volunteer military-aid jobs in the more rural parts of the United Republic and Earth Kingdom both. Future Industries was booming under Asami's management, even though the rebuilding and expansion of Republic City after the Earth Empire attack had finally come to a close. General Iroh's battalion was returning to Republic City, with reports that the New Red Lotus was indeed crumbling and fading away, around the world.

And Noatak. Oh, Noatak. He'd been living with his mother, Maran, in the Northern Water Tribe, taking care of her in her old age, reunited after _so_ many years apart. He'd surprised everyone just three days ago, saying that she'd insisted he come to visit everyone for a week or so, fine living on her own.

Korra and Noatak laughed together like children as they reached the beach of Aang's monument's island. They leapt out over the water, bending small ice-rafts underneath their feet, propelling themselves across the bay to Air Temple Island. The man that had once been her first true challenge as Avatar was now a staunch, wise, reflective man, a man who had selflessly risked his life against the New Red Lotus, and would surrender himself like that again at a moment's notice. It didn't matter that he'd spent ten whole years of his life in a wheelchair, his legs burned beyond use when his escape boat exploded after he'd been thwarted as Amon, he'd been given a second chance, healed by the late Master Katara, and accepted that chance wholly and humbly without hesitation.

Amon.

" _Amon_."

That name held no weight whatsoever to either of them anymore.

Korra reached the shore of Air Temple Island first. She skidded onto the beach, and jumped up with a cheer, laughing. Noatak skidded up just a few seconds behind her.

"That's three for me!" she said.

"Three?" he asked.

"I won the sparring match, didn't I?"

Noatak snorted. "That was a _tie_ , if anything."

Korra put her hands on her hips, smirking. "You might've won the first race if you'd practice more."

"It's not _my_ fault I've been taking care of my mother and not practicing my bending as much as you."

"...Well—"

"Yes, that actually would be my fault," Noatak admitted.

Korra smiled as they started walking up the path to Tenzin's home. "You can have a point in 'old decrepit mothers.'"

Noatak scoffed. "She's not 'decrepit.' She's rather healthy for her age." He looked down. "Come to think of it... _I_ was the decrepit one."

Korra's eyes widened with realization. "Yeah. You and me both were."

"Huh," Noatak mumbled in thought. "I've...never thought of it quite like that. We've both spent considerable parts of our lives paralyzed, and through that, it's made us stronger."

"Yeah," Korra said, nodding. She frowned. "Being in a wheelchair was...not fun."

Noatak nodded. "It is incredibly humbling. Even more so when your old lieutenant is the one taking care of you."

Korra giggled. "Yeah, I bet. I miss Lee. He and Iroh are supposed to be back soon. Hopefully they'll get a chance to swing by."

"Hopefully," Noatak happily agreed. "And also, curse you for continually managing to find similarities between you and your adversaries."

Korra smirked as they reached the plaza in front of Tenzin's home. "Well...it's what's worked out for me so far."

"Hey!" Bolin exclaimed, running up. "Noatak!"

Noatak looked over, spotting him. So he'd finally arrived at Air Temple Island. "Bolin!" he returned with equal enthusiasm. They embraced, laughing and heartily slapping each other's backs.

"What're you doing here?" Bolin asked with a smile.

"Mother told me I should come visit you all," Noatak answered. "So I am."

"Well...wow! Awesome! How've you two been doing?"

"Very well, better than I ever thought I could be. My _bending_ ," Noatak said with a smirk, glancing back at Korra, "has apparently seen better days."

Bolin snorted. "Well, duh. Anyone's gonna lose if they try to fight Korra. All she does now is practice her bending and talk with her past lives."

"Hey!" Korra interjected. "That's not true! W-Well, not _all_ true..."

Noatak chuckled with folded arms. "Oh I think she's earned a chance to relax. The Avatar's done her job, hasn't she? The world is balanced once again. She deserves it. Besides, if you had lost a few millennium's worth of knowledge and wisdom, I'm sure you'd take the opportunity to... _indulge_ yourself as often as you could."

"Yeah," Bolin admitted, "I guess so. But if _I_ had any past lives, I'd be asking them what's for lunch! I'm starving!"

"It should be ready soon, Bolin," Tenzin called, walking up to the three of them. "Pema's gathering the ingredients as we speak. Don't worry." He smiled at Noatak and Korra. "So, you two, how did it go?"

"Very well," Noatak said with a nod. "I have to ask, did you ever teach Korra any fighting? Her evasive forms always tend to lean more towards airbending."

"Oh, no. Not me. Not fighting. She's always...had a _natural_ tendency for fighting," Tenzin said, smiling with her. "She actually figured out how to use airbending in combat for herself."

"Ah, yes," Noatak said, giving Korra a smirk. "How could I forget?"

Tenzin raised a brow. "You...Oh. _Oh_. Well, _I_ was thinking of the time while she was still pro-bending with Bolin and Mako, but yours is a more...outward example, I suppose."

Korra giggled. "Either way, it was _your_ teaching that made it happen."

"Oh I don't want to take credit for that," Tenzin said. "But, it is appreciated. What are you planning on doing now?"

Korra shrugged, her hands on her hips. "I dunno. If you and Pema don't need help with anything around here, we could go spar some more." She looked over. "You wanna, Bolin?"

"Um," Bolin said, growing nervous. "Yeah, uh, I'll spar with you guys if you, uh...let me win?"

Korra blinked in confusion. "What? You can't 'win' sparring matches like that."

"Well I _lost_ the last one!"

Korra rolled her eyes. "Okay, _how_ did you 'lose' the last one?"

"You _shot_ me onto Tenzin's roof!"

"You wouldn't have ended up there if you were paying attention to your surroundings."

"I would have been, but Mako was shooting _fire_ at me like he was trying to _kill_ me!"

"He wasn't going to _kill_ you. We were sparring!"

"I thought sparring was supposed to be _practice_ -fighting!"

"It's no fun if you do it slowly!"

"Never again, Mrs. Avatar!" Bolin said, his hand blocking her face. "Never again!"

Noatak laughed loudly, starting to walk away into the house with Tenzin. "Come on, you two. We all practice in different ways. I don't want to waste time figuring them all out, and I _certainly_ don't want to let Pema's cooking go to waste either."

#

"Sure thing, Pema," Korra said with a nod, taking the list. She walked to the living room of Tenzin's home. She stopped by the doorway, where Jinora and Ikki were stopped as well. The young airbenders were watching Noatak sitting on the couch. He had his elbows on his knees, his eyes on the floor.

"Is he okay?" Ikki asked.

Korra looked at him, furrowing her brow. "I'm not sure. He was just a few minutes ago..."

Ikki stared at him in silence for a moment. "He's kinda cute," she suddenly observed.

"Yeah," Jinora agreed. "In a big, sorta sulky way."

Korra couldn't ignore that. She smiled. "Y'know what? I think I'm gonna tell him you guys said that."

"W-What? W-Wait!"

"No! Don't!"

"Why not?" Korra asked. She pointed at Ikki. " _You_ told Asami that I had a crush on Mako way back when!"

"Y-You still _remember_ that?"

"How could I forget?!" Korra quietly exclaimed. "Of all the things you could've said to her, you had to say _that_."

"Th... _that_ ," Ikki said, straightening up, "was because I was just an immature little kid back then. Now I'm a grown-up, knowledgeable adult. At least it came full circle for you. It's not _my_ fault you jump around a lot."

"I..." Korra raised a brow. "Excuse me?"

"It's true," Jinora chimed in. "At first you thought you loved Mako, but then you broke up. You dated Bolin for a little bit, but you never got off the ground. Then you and _Asami_ dated, but you _still_ broke up. And _then_ —"

Noatak shifted as he sat, sighing heavily.

Korra looked at him, then back at the girls. "I'm gonna talk to him and see what's wrong," she said quietly. As she walked, she turned back and pointed at them, hissing, "I'm not gonna forget that."

"W-Wait!" Ikki asked. "Forget what?"

" _Exactly_."

Korra looked back at Noatak, stopping next to the couch. He didn't appear to take much notice of her. "Hey," she said. "Pema's running low on a few things. Bolin and I are gonna run by the market to pick up some extra groceries for her so she can make lunch. You wanna come with us?"

"I...don't know," he said.

"W-Why not?" she asked gently. "What's wrong?"

He rubbed his wrist. "I've...just never come to realize until now...what being in Republic City might do."

Korra shifted her stance, putting a hand on her hip. "Well...you've been in public before. Remember Tenzin's party?"

"Y-Yes, but..."

"But there's nothing to worry about."

"The reporter _took_ our picture. _My_ picture! With my name and everything! It might've circulated and now people..."

"Oh you worry-wart," Korra tried to joke with a smile. "The only thing the reporter got other than your name was your nationality. People've forgotten about Amon by now anyways. It was _him_ they knew, not you."

"But..."

"What?"

"Back when I was still Amon..."

"You were wearing a mask. It's not like anyone saw your face all that much. And even when they did, it was when you had the fake scars."

"Some _did_ see my face clearly, when you blasted me out of that window, when the scars washed off."

"But..." Korra almost felt like she was forcing herself to come up with reasons. "You were really high up. And it wasn't seeing your face that made them all stop believing in you, it was the fact that you were waterbending. That was _ten_ _years_ ago."

Noatak hesitated, still rubbing his wrist. "Mmm..."

Korra eased up, sighing. "Okay. If you don't want to go...I understand. Mako and Asami should be coming by soon, and—"

"No," Noatak finally said, standing up, his confident posture returned. "You're right. I'll go."

#

" _C'mon_ , man," Bolin said to Noatak as they walked across the Air Temple Island plaza, returning with large bags of groceries in their arms. "Don't be like that. Of course they miss you! Plus, c'mon, it's Mako and Asami. They're the moodiest of Team Avatar...and the loner-iest...and the—"

"Busiest?" Noatak finished his sentence with a smile. He chuckled. "How _did_ I know you would say that?"

"'Cause it's true!"

"That it may be."

"Dude," Bolin said, "it's not _their_ fault they didn't know you were here. I didn't know you were here 'til yesterday! You kinda _did_ come unannounced. Who knows what they got goin' on? You can't just _cancel_ a business meeting that's already happening, or, uh...arresting someone."

"Ah," Noatak said. "Yes. I see now. I was utterly, utterly wrong, and you are completely in the right. I am humbled."

"'Course I am!" Bolin said with indignation. "And you better be!"

Korra couldn't help but smile at their exchange, carrying a bag as well. She just felt like smiling in general. Why shouldn't she? The sun was out, it was a good day, and Noatak was right there with them to enjoy it. They'd gotten all the things Pema had requested, with no incident, and with no one recognizing Noatak as he'd previously been so worried about. She looked back at the skyline, breathing out blissfully. Asami had certainly known what she was doing with the rebuilding and expansion projects. Republic City's skyline was almost the same as it was before, if not just a little bit bigger. She _had_ grown up here as opposed to Korra, after all.

"See?" Korra said, turning to Noatak. "We got what we needed, got back in no time, and nothing bad happened. No reason to worry. Was it really _so_ terrible?"

Noatak sighed with a smile, admitting, "No, it wasn't. I'm actually rather glad I went with you. Republic City is still just as beautiful as it was before, even after all this poor place has been through."

"Yeah," Korra agreed wistfully, looking with him towards the center of the city, where the yellow spirit portal still gleamed, shooting up into the sky. Beautiful, powerful, it never failed to remind her of why she was Avatar, of all the things she'd done, and more importantly, how it got there in the first place.

"Hey, guys!" Pema called, walking out with Tenzin and all their kids. "Did you get everything?"

"Yep!" Bolin said. "Everything! Well, no meat."

Pema smirked, taking his bag and handing it to Meelo. "Good, good. Thank you, guys. I can't believe I was running low."

"Are you ready to cook it all now?" Noatak asked, handing her his bag.

"Of course," she said with a smile, taking it from him. "I'll have it ready in no time, the best Air Nomad meal you could ask for."

"Good. Thank you," Noatak said with a pat of his stomach. "I haven't had your cooking in months. I am greatly looking forward to it."

As Pema laughed at his enthusiasm, Korra looked behind herself. Her smile slowly started fading away.

"Uh...guys?" she said.

"What?" Bolin said, turning around and looking with everyone else. They soon saw what Korra was so apprehensive about.

A squad of ten metalbending police officers was walking across the plaza, straight towards them.

"W-What are they doing here?" Bolin asked.

Korra looked at Noatak, and he at her.

"Pema," Tenzin said with quiet urgency, "take the kids inside. Quickly."

"Okay," she said, ushering them along. "Come on, guys, let's go."

"Sh-should we," Bolin asked nervously, "start...d- _doing_ something?"

Korra took a breath. "Yeah, we need to stay calm. _All_ of us."

Once the squad reached them, the chief officer stepped up. Korra stepped up as well, and opened her mouth to greet him, but he spoke first, cutting her off. "Is this Noatak of the Northern Water Tribe?"

"Why?" Korra asked. "What do you need him for?"

"He's under arrest."

"A- _Arrest_? On what charge?!"

The officer's lieutenant started to chuckle, pulling out a small written-out list. " _Where_ do I even _begin_? Let's see...Heading a revolution. Usurping Republic City. Starting what was essentially a _war_ within Republic City. Evasion of the law for over a decade. Countless accounts of fraud, theft, and kidnapping. Countless attacks on benders, including yourself, Avatar. The theft of those benders' bending, including yourself, Avatar. And he accomplished all this _how_? An illegal bending technique."

As he tucked his list away, Korra could only blink. She was at a loss for words. Those charges were astounding. Everything that Noatak had ever done, almost his entire _life_ it felt like, he was being convicted for. She fought for her focus. Once she regained it, she grew angry. "How do you know all this? Who tipped you off?"

"What?" the chief asked flatly. "We never got any tips. Noatak's arrest was issued three months ago. We've been trying to track him down ever since General Iroh's Black Lotus ordeal."

He looked at Noatak. "Noatak _is_ going to be arrested. We're not leaving here without him, under the authority of Judge Qarnau."

Korra hesitated again. Was there any bargaining out of this? She looked at Noatak, fearful. "Noatak...?"

Noatak looked at Korra, then the officers, then the ground. He sighed, quiet. "I can't fight this. I should've known this would happen. There was never an escape, not even after what Iroh did for me." He looked her in the eye, calm. "I have to comply."

Korra hesitated, but nodded. It was all she could do.

Noatak stepped towards the officers, seemingly unfearing as he held out his arms. One of the officers walked up to him, and clasped cuffs around his wrists.

"Alright," the officer spat, leading Noatak away with a jerk, "let's go."

"D-Don't worry," Korra called to him, stepping as if she were about to follow them. "I'll get Lin to help you. I'll see what we can do. I promise."

As Noatak turned to look at Korra one last time, there was no denying that there was fear in his eyes.

#

"How could I've not seen this coming?" Korra asked, her head in her hands as she sat at a table in Tenzin's home. "How could I think that everyone would just _forget_ about him?"

"It's not your fault, Korra," Tenzin reassured, putting a hand on her shoulder. "This is just...No one could've predicted this."

"Mom?" Meelo asked, the other kids anxious as well. "Is Noatak gonna be okay?"

"We...don't know quite yet, Honey," Pema told him. "Don't worry. They're not gonna hurt him. If anything, he's just gonna have to stay in jail for a little while."

"I wish Asami and Mako were here," Korra mumbled, still looking down.

"Man," Bolin said with a wince, sitting across from her. "Whoever wanted Noatak arrested sure put a lot of work into it. I mean, did you _hear_ all the things they're convicting him for? Who has the time to file all that stuff out?!"

"Judge Qarnau," Korra answered unconsciously, stuck in thought.

"Wait," Tenzin said. "Qarnau?"

Korra looked up. Tenzin knew this Qarnau? She turned in her seat to him, and nodded. "That's what the officer said. You know him?"

Tenzin looked away, thinking back for a moment, stroking his beard. "Qarnau," he said, remembering. "Yes, he...used to be an associate of Tarrlok's, his most trusted one, if I recall, back when I was on the Republic City council."

"Uh-oh," Korra said in worry. "If he was with Tarrlok back _then_..."

"Actually," Tenzin stopped her, "he's...a rather well-rounded man, from what I've heard, at least. I never knew him personally, but with his policies he's upfront and doesn't take to dawdling."

Korra smirked, a little relieved. "Huh. I just might like this guy."

"Wait," Bolin asked. "Korra, you...you're gonna go see this judge guy?"

"Well...yeah," she answered, standing up. "What else am I gonna do?"

"Korra," Tenzin said with brevity, "I wouldn't run into this if I were you. This isn't saving the world. This is civil politics you're dealing with now, not a revolution, not terrorists, not an army. You need to think and be slow about this. One wrong move and _you_ could end up convicted for something as well. Noatak has done a lot of things that others aren't as willing as us to forget. And...politics haven't always been your strong suit."

"It's alright, Tenzin," Korra reassured him with a smile. "I have a plan for once. I'm not gonna do anything reckless, I'm not gonna start any fights, nothing like that, I swear. I'm just gonna go see how Noatak's doing, get Lin's help, and talk to Qarnau about this...reasonably. Noatak doesn't deserve prison. He paid for what he did, multiple times. Qarnau's _gotta_ be able to understand that."

Reluctantly, Tenzin sighed. "Alright, Korra. I trust you know what you're getting into." He put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll be here to help you in any way we can."

Korra closed her eyes, smiling gently with his hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, Tenzin."

"Korra?" Bolin said.

She turned to him. "Yeah?"

He anxiously twiddled his fingers for a moment. "Just...be careful."

Korra couldn't help but smile. She went to hug him, but he wrapped his arms around her first. "I'll be fine, Bolin," she said, rubbing his shoulder. "Trust me, it'll be okay. I promise. Don't worry about me."

With goodbye's and encouragement, Korra walked out from Tenzin's home, and started making her way to Republic City's police department.

 _It's Noatak that we should be worried about._

* * *

 **Notes:** I'm not quite sure how I'll be splitting things up chapter-wise here, but this may end up being as long as Book 5, though not on quite as grand a scale. If you haven't read that, does Noatak feel like the same guy he was in Book 1? Does he seem sorry for what he did? If not, don't worry, he'll be getting guilt-tripped real quick. If you _have_ read Book 5, a few familiar faces may be missing. They'll turn up eventually. Up next is going to be Korra's first visit with Noatak in prison :(


	3. Holding Up

All the while on her way to the Republic City police department, Korra did nothing but worry. She couldn't shake the anxiety, or quell the knot in her stomach. All she could assume about Noatak was the worst.

 _What are they doing to him? What are they going to put him through? What if they decide to..._

Korra shook her head. No, it wouldn't come to that. It _couldn't_ have come to that already. He hadn't even been put on trial yet. Surely the Equalist Revolution's leader's trial would get a little publicity before it happened.

Korra sighed. Despite her earlier words at Tenzin's, she couldn't help but feel she was about to get _way_ in over her head.

 _Well...that's why I have friends to back me up. Noatak doesn't. He needs us._

Korra walked into the department building, and was instantly bombarded with commotion. The officer workers bustled frantically, the white noise of their chatter deafening. She could only guess why.

She looked around, brushing past the workers, and finally spotted Lin. She felt a bit of relief at the familiar face, though the chief appeared to be at her wit's end.

" _What_?!" she barked into a radio mic, obviously frazzled. " _I_ didn't issue for him to be arrested!" She listened to the person on the other end. "Well _I_ certainly don't know who did! That's what I'm going to find out!"

She slammed the mic down, and turned around with a sigh, leaning on the desk. She looked up, and saw Korra. Relief washed over her face. "Oh. Korra."

Korra smiled sheepishly. "Hi, Lin. Things are kinda busy, huh?"

Lin snorted, brushing a few fallen bangs out of her face. "Yeah, more than they should be. Noatak: you're here to see him?"

"Y-Yes!" Korra said, sounding a bit more desperate than she had intended. "You know where he is?"

"They already got him locked up in one of the solitary units," the chief said with a wave. "Let's go."

With the frantic office workers behind them, Korra and Lin walked down the halls to the solitary confinement wing of the building, where the most dangerous of criminals were kept until trial.

"Do you know what they've done to him?" Korra asked, her worry resurfacing.

Lin sighed. "No clue, other than that they put him in solitary. I had no idea that squad was sent after him. I didn't even know they had him _in_ solitary until just ten minutes ago!"

"Oh," Korra said, surprised. She started to smirk. "You must be losing your touch."

Lin scoffed. "Please. Hardly. It kind of just...slipped right under my nose is all."

To her own surprise, Korra laughed.

"Oh," Lin remembered. "I'm not sure if this counts as some good news or more bad news, but...Mako turned down the raise I was gonna give him."

"What?" Korra said in disbelief. "Turned it _down_? But you've been trying to promote him for, like, three months! Why'd he do it?"

"He said detective suits him best," Lin said with a proud smile. "He couldn't see himself doing anything else. I'm almost kind of glad he didn't accept it. He really is one of our best detectives in the field."

Korra smiled. "Huh. I'm gonna have to tease him a bit for that." Her smiled soon faded.. "So...will you be able to free Noatak somehow? Parole, at least?"

Lin sighed in thought. "Maybe. I'm not sure. If I did, I'd have to check with whoever filed his arrest in the first place."

"The officers said some judge named Qarnau did."

" _Qarnau_?" Lin said. She snorted in disgust. "Of _course_ it's Qarnau..."

"What?" Korra asked. "What's wrong with Qarnau? Tenzin said he's pretty reliable."

"Politically, yes. Other than that, he's stubborn, hard-headed, and likes to interrupt people." Lin smirked. "He kinda reminds me a bit of _you_ when you first crawled into Republic City."

Korra smirked as well. "Huh. And here I thought I was done fighting past versions of myself."

They reached the checkpoint leading into the solitary wing. The man at the main desk there looked up at them. "Hello, Chief, Avatar Korra. What are you here for?"

"I'm visiting Noatak," Korra said.

"I...I'm sorry?"

"I'm visiting Noatak, in his cell, now."

"I-I'm sorry, Avatar, but...you aren't allowed to see him."

Korra blinked in surprise. She exchanged a worried look with Lin. Lin stepped forward, firm. "Under whose authority is she not allowed to see him?"

"J-Judge Qarnau's, ma'am."

Lin furrowed her brow. "Who else isn't allowed to see him?"

"J-Just the Avatar, ma'am."

Lin frowned. She looked at Korra. "Korra, go talk to him. I'll handle whatever Qarnau thinks he's doing."

Korra nodded, walking away. "Thanks, Lin."

"Avatar Korra—!" she heard the man start again.

" _No_ ," Lin's voice barked, sending a chill of admiration down Korra's spine. "You have to worry about _me_ right now."

#

The halls of the solitary wing weren't as populated with criminals as Korra thought they would be. The only solitary inmate was, apparently, Noatak. Two guards stood watch by the door of his cell, and two others were discussing something with them. They all looked at Korra as she approached. "Avatar Korra?" one asked. "What're you doing here?"

"I'm visiting Noatak," she said, stopping next to them.

"You got cleared to see him?"

"Chief Beifong's working out the specifics. Just one visit for now." It wasn't a lie, exactly. Korra was trying to follow Tenzin's advice and keep things as honest as she could, but that was hard when things were shady already. Why wasn't she allowed to just check up on Noatak in the first place?

The guards exchanged a few looks, then the first shrugged. "Alright. Wouldn't argue with the Chief about anything." He looked up at a fifth guard approaching them, holding a food tray. He took the tray, and held it out to Korra. "It's lunchtime. Hold his food for us."

Korra raised a brow, but took the tray willingly. Why did _she_ have to hold it? She couldn't help but look down at it, assess what they were about to feed Noatak, if it was enough. Her fears weren't met with reality, however. There was plenty on the tray: rice, some fruit, some meat, some sort of thick juice. Nothing fancy, but nothing poor in quality either.

"Stand back," the guard said, lowering his voice to a hush. Again, Korra did as he said, still confused. All five of the guards tensed up, facing the door, like they were about to be attacked by something. The first knelt and listened through the door. After a moment, he looked back and nodded. "Alright," he whispered, "we're clear. In three...two...one... _go_!"

On "go," the iron door was thrown open and all five guards rushed into the cell. Korra could barely make out what they were doing or why, but a pit soon arose in her stomach when she heard Noatak's panicked grunts.

Noatak crumpled to the floor of his cell in an instant. The guards were driving a flurry of chi-blocking punches into his back, spine, neck, shoulders, anywhere that disabled him and his bending.

What felt like minutes only took a stifling matter of six seconds. By the end of it, Noatak was a shivering sack of a man on the floor of his cell, his hands still cuffed from when they arrested him. His Water Tribe coat was long gone, now replaced with a plain grey sleeveless prisoner uniform.

"Alright," the first guard said with an emotionless sigh, stepping back with the others over Noatak. "It's done. He won't be bloodbending or chi-blocking anyone for a half-hour or so. That's how long you got, Avatar. Try to get some use out of it."

With that, the guards walked out of the cell, and closed the door behind themselves, locking it, leaving Korra all alone with a nearly-crippled Noatak.

Seeing him struggling, shaking, and shackled, she almost started to cry right there. But, somehow, she kept strong, putting on her best smile. "Hey."

Once he collected himself, on his arms and knees, Noatak looked up at her, trying to return the smile with a grimace. "H-Hey..."

Korra walked over to the small table next to his bed, and set the food tray on it, close to him so that he wouldn't have to walk. She took him by his shackled arms, helping him up so he could sit on the bed. Once he was sitting, she took a quick look around the cell. It was decently sized, not cramped, but not very extensive either. It was decently lit, thanks to the ceiling-embedded lamps overhead. The table had two wooden chairs, one for the inmate, and one for a visitor. A door led to a small bathroom in the back corner, she assumed. All the walls were metal-plated, along with the floor.

No windows.

Korra looked back at Noatak as he sat. She hesitated. "How're you holding up?"

He shrugged, his breathing a little harder than normal. "About as well as anyone could."

"Have they been chi-blocking you? I mean, besides now?"

"No, they haven't, not since now, not since they put me in here. Though I imagine they would if I were to be transferred." He looked up at her. "Should they be?"

"Well, aren't you, like, extra... _extra_ dangerous? I mean—" She caught herself, lowering her voice, not sure if the guards would be listening. "You can _waterbend_ without having _water_ around you."

His waterbending technique, the one he discovered while he was wheelchair-bound, how to pull water particles straight out of the air. Noatak smiled slyly, keeping his voice low as well. "I don't see any reason for them to know that."

Korra chuckled. "Good idea."

She pulled up one of the chairs. She sat on it backwards, facing Noatak, her arms resting on top of the back. She eyed his cuffs. "Do you always have to wear those?"

He nodded, looking down at them. "I surrendered without a fight, but they still believe I'll try to escape or attack them. They're taking every precaution they can with me. Understandable."

Korra bit the inside of her cheek, still looking at the cuffs. She remembered the absolute _bliss_ that had washed over Zaheer's face when he had finally gotten his shackles removed, after he'd been temporarily released to work under General Iroh in the United Forces. He'd had to eat, sleep, and do what miserably passed for exercise all in handcuffs. Now Noatak had to do the same, when he wasn't chi-blocked of course. No wonder Zaheer was almost always in the...

"Do you," Korra found herself hesitantly asking, "want me to teach you how to meditate into the Spirit World?"

"W-What?!" Noatak asked in fear. "How long are they keeping me here?!"

"N-No, no! It's not like that! I don't know yet! It's just...Who knows how long it could take? What if you _are_ kept in here for a long time? What if you start feeling stir-crazy?"

Noatak calmed himself, and looked back down again. Korra looked down as well. It was then that the crampness of the cell started closing in on her, an unfortunate, familiar feeling. Though she only made herself feel it once a week, it still sunk deep, and didn't let go. The artificial lighting, the isolation, it couldn't be shaken off. She hated herself for feeling relieved that she'd get to walk out of there.

"I'm gonna go talk to Qarnau," she said. "I'll see what I can do about getting you out of here, or at the very least easing up on all the protocols and stuff. You're _not_ gonna rot in here, I promise. You deserve better than this. I _will_ get you out of here."

Noatak nodded, and nothing more.

Korra got up to leave. She stopped, hesitating. She turned back to Noatak. "Are you sure you don't want me to teach you how to meditate? Or at least just stay for a while longer? The guards said I have half an hour."

Noatak nodded again. He looked up at her, and smiled a small smile. "I believe that I can keep my mind clear enough until you find a way to free me. Be careful, Korra. I feel you're going to need it."

Korra nodded, and nothing more.

As she walked out of his cell and the door was closed, the two of them could only hope that they were right.

* * *

 **Notes:** Alright, the setting for all that's to come. How will Noatak fair being imprisoned? How will _Korra_ fair with him being imprisoned? What'll she do to get him out? (She's certainly not gonna give herself up to be executed or anything like that that'd be crazy.)

I'm super excited for the next chapter, which is gonna be Korra's first contact with this Qarnau guy. Dunno who _he_ thinks he is. Hope it goes well...


	4. How is Making Someone Suffer Better?

Korra found Lin done harping on the man at the desk, still waiting at the checkpoint. She noticed Korra's unusually somber demeanor, uncrossing her arms in concern. "How's Noatak doing?"

Korra sighed as she stopped next to her. "He's...pretty rough, but he's hanging in there."

"He didn't want you to stay with him a little longer?"

"He probably did, but he figured us getting him out as soon as possible was better in the long run."

Lin nodded, looking down. "I suppose that is..."

"Did you find a way to let me visit him? More often?" Korra sheepishly glanced away, biting her lip. " _Legally_?"

Lin shot a glare at the man at the desk. "This one visit can slide, for now. I'm gonna have to do some string-pulling to let you visit him on any sort of regular basis."

Korra sighed in relief. "Thank you, so much." She hesitated, then looked up. "They had to chi-block him before they let me in."

Lin blinked in surprise. "What?"

Korra nodded, still a little shocked herself. "It was insane. Five guards beat him down to the floor at once. He couldn't even stand up afterwards they hurt him so bad."

Lin struggled for a moment. "I...Is that...Chi-blocking's never been done in United Republic prisons before, not even to more dangerous prisoners like Zaheer."

"Well Noatak _is_ a bloodbender."

"Yeah, true. It's just never been part of prisoner protocol. _Standard_ prisoner protocol, anyways. _She_ was a special case."

"Yeah," Korra said softly. "Special."

"I haven't heard a thing about... _anything_ like that being passed. Only Raiko could authorize it..." Lin uncrossed her arms and looked up. "I'll have to look into it."

Korra nodded. "Alright. I'm gonna go talk to Qarnau, and see if I can reason with him a little bit."

"You really think you can convince him to free Noatak?" Lin asked flatly with a raised brow, urging Korra to think twice about what she planned to do.

"That's the hope," Korra admitted. "I have to try."

Lin sighed and nodded, looking away. "Okay. I'll see what I can do to make it easier on Noatak. I have some other things to check up on too, like figuring out how _Qarnau_ has the authority to undermine _me_! _I'm_ the _chief_!"

Korra giggled at her mild rage. "Thank you."

Lin sighed. "I wish I could go with you. Good luck, kid. You're gonna need it."

Korra smirked, turning. "Thanks, but I don't need luck. I'm the _Avatar_."

"Um," Lin said. "That's why you'll need the luck. I have a feeling that Qarnau isn't the type of person who's all for spirits and balance and meditating and all that."

"Hey," Korra said as she walked away, "neither was I."

#

The building where Qarnau's office resided wasn't too far a walk from the police station. The lady at the main desk said that Qarnau wasn't expecting any visitors, but also that he wasn't about to turn any down either.

After a thank-you, Korra started making her way to Qarnau's office on the second floor. Even though that friendly fact had made her smile, she still felt apprehensive.

 _So...what exactly am I going to tell him? How do I just come out and say, 'Hey, you jailed up one of my friends. He's done a bunch of crimes and never been officially tried, but do you mind letting him out? He's really not that bad of a guy.'_

 _Maybe Tenzin was right. Maybe I_ should've _planned ahead more..._

Korra shook her head.

 _No. No, I know Noatak, even if I don't know what I'm doing. I've brought the world back to balance a bunch of times before. This can't be any harder than that. I know Noatak shouldn't have to suffer for what he did. He already_ did _suffer for what he did, in that wheelchair. He wouldn't take anyone's bending again or bloodbend them, never. He's changed. This guy has to be able to understand that._

A little heavy-hearted, but still completely willing to do what she had to, Korra inhaled, and walked into Judge Qarnau's office.

Sitting at his large desk in the middle of the nicely-decorated, bookshelf-lined room, was Qarnau, sorting through papers and documents. He was a heavier-set man, bearing a bit of a gut, with short, grey, partly-balding hair. His wide face was tan and wrinkled, clean-shaven, his brow well-furrowed from thought and study. He wore fairly fine beige and olive-colored judgeman's robes. He looked to be an astute man.

He noticed Korra as she walked in, looking up from his many papers. His voice was clear, and carried even though he wasn't raising it. "Oh. Avatar Korra. What brings you here?"

Korra sighed. "I'm not quite sure how to put this...but—"

"I'm _not_ going to release him," Qarnau plainly interjected.

" _Please_ , Judge Qarnau, let me explain."

"There's nothing _to_ explain, Avatar. He's a criminal who has to pay for what he's done. He's evaded authority long enough."

"You don't understand. He _did_ pay for what he did. He had broken legs for _ten years_. His _body_ was his prison."

"I can imagine so, but he's still nonetheless a criminal, and you being 'friends' with him doesn't change that either."

"But _he's_ changed."

"Changed?" Qarnau snorted. "No. Criminals like him do not 'change.' And it's foolish to think otherwise."

Korra raised a brow. "You sure about that?"

"What are you getting at, Avatar?"

"He helped me and General Iroh stop the Red Lotus, completely by his own free will. He surrendered to the police without a fight. You think a 'criminal' would do that? He regrets it all."

"If he _does_ regret it so much, then why is it that he never turned himself in?"

Korra hesitated. "Well...it's not like anyone _wants_ to go to prison." She furrowed her brow. "Why wasn't I allowed to visit him anyways?"

Qarnau closed his eyes and sighed, still holding some papers. "For the same you're here yelling at me now: your audacity."

"My what?"

"You are headstrong," Qarnau explained while sorting papers, "and don't think things through before doing them. You're brash, say things are right when they aren't. Things of that nature."

Korra furrowed her brow. "I'm the Avatar. If anyone in this world knows what's right, it's me."

"Keeping criminals out of judicial reach," Qarnau said with a smile, setting a folder down. "Ah yes, one of the many enigmatically righteous ways of keeping 'balance.'"

Korra gave a short sigh. "He's _not_ a 'criminal.' He hasn't committed a crime in years. He's sorry, sorry for what he did, sorrier than you could ever imagine." She paused. "Just like Kuvir—"

" _Don't_ you _dare_ bring up that name in _my_ office," Qarnau snapped.

Korra faltered, shocked, struggling not to start a completely new argument. But she couldn't help it. "What do _you_ have against Kuvira?"

Qarnau scoffed, apathetically looking away, his hands empty of all paperwork now. "I'm willing to let someone have a second chance at something, but I don't think politics is at all the appropriate realm to do so."

Korra fought down the understanding swell of anger that always bubbled whenever people ignored Kuvira's change. "She's been the Prime Minister for over a year now. She's been helping the Earth Kingdom in ways it's never been helped before."

"But wasn't it convenient that _she_ was the very one who created the government system that got her out of prison early?"

"Because Wu _asked_ her to. He _knew_ that the Earth Kingdom needed to change and he knew that _she_ was the best choice for Prime Minister. She wanted to _help_ the Earth Kingdom, and she did. It wasn't a convenience, it was a second chance."

"Bah," Qarnau dismissed. "More like a popularity-play. A power-grab. And indoctrinating her very own orphans? My, my, where _do_ I start with that?"

 _Wow. This guy..._

"They're her _kids_ ," Korra said, half in disbelief. "We gave them a _family_."

"Because she never had one herself, so on and so forth. I'm sure the three rascals are just delightful little bundles of joy, but that doesn't change the overall sense of...'conspiracy,' shall we say, in the entirety of the—"

"What do she and Noatak have to do to change your mind about them?" Korra asked sincerely.

Qarnau looked up quickly, but didn't seem agitated that Korra had cut him off. Instead, he leaned forward, starring Korra dead in the eye, his voice grave as he said:

"Put her back in prison for twenty-five years and let me pass judgment on Amon."

After a sudden blast of air, Qarnau found his desk overturned and crashed at the side of the room, papers flying and falling to the floor.

"His _name_ ," Korra growled, stepping forward, "is _Noatak_."

"And as far as I'm concerned," Qarnau said nonchalantly, leaning back in his deskless chair, "until she goes back to prison, she's the Great Uniter, and until he's penalized in some _legal_ form, he's an Equalist."

"They've both made mistakes," Korra admitted, " _horrible_ mistakes, but why do they have to suffer for the rest of their _lives_ for it?"

"Oh she wouldn't be suffering her _whole_ life for it. She'd be...what, fifty by the time she got out?"

"Prison was torture for her. It's hardly a life worth living."

"A dictator's life isn't worth much more by comparison."

"Oh how blind _are_ you?" Korra snapped. "You really think she'd try to blow up Republic City again? Do you really think I visited her in prison every week for _nothing_?"

"You _actually_ did visit her _every_ week?" Qarnau asked in a completely new tone, throwing the argument off once again.

Korra blinked and furrowed her brow. She straightened up. "Yes. I did. And I hated myself when I couldn't."

"Hah!" Qarnau exclaimed in amusement. "Even more pathetic than I thought! What? Did our esteemed Prime Minister need someone to hold her hand? A shoulder to cry on? A _hug_?"

"Sometimes, my chest, and yes. You have _no_ idea—"

"I have _some_ ideas of what she went through. Orphaning doesn't justify nation-conquering."

"The 'orphaning' was more of a catalyst, really."

"Oh so now you're a psychologist too, eh?"

"I don't need to be a psychologist to know that you're being completely unreasonable."

"I have my reasons, and none of them are based on petty emotion like yours."

"P..." Korra stepped forward, imploring. "How is making someone suffer for their mistakes _better_ than letting them _fix_ them?!"

"Try asking your past lives," Qarnau said, "since it appears you've miraculously weaseled your way out of your consequences _once again_ during your career as Avatar."

Korra faltered completely, speechless. He _really_ just used her past lives against her.

Qarnau settled back in his chair with veiled satisfaction. "My mind has been made up for over three months now: Noatak will not leave that cell until justice has been served. And staying in a cell like that may very well _be_ just what justice will serve."

Korra snorted, storming out of Qarnau's office, having much more productive things to do than arguing with this wall of a man. "I'm not apologizing for the desk. And _you_ need to look up what 'justice' really means."

Qarnau got in the last word by grunting a "hmph" of amusement.

* * *

 **Notes:** Wow. That argument's gotta be one of my most favorite things I've ever written, the first of many infuriating more to come. I hope you love/hate Qarnau as much as I do. I'm picturing someone with Gideon Malick's looks and Doctor Magnusson's stifling personality. Korra facing a problem that she can't fight physically is a good change of pace that hasn't really happened since Tarrlok in Book 1, who she...actually _did_ end up fighting. Baby steps.

Also, disclaimer here:

Kuvira becoming the Earth Prime Minister and her adopting kids and all that was not at all my idea in any way. That happened in _The Dictator_ by riot3672. I didn't write it or have any part in writing it. It's what I based _Book 5: Redemption_ after, so it's a pretty integral solidifier for everything Korra believes in and for how she treats her adversaries. It's gonna tie into things a little more later too.

So, things aren't looking too good right now, and unfortunately, they won't for a while. Now Korra's off to break the bad news to everyone :(


	5. Some Second Opinions

Korra had a lot on her mind, more than she'd had for three whole months, almost in six whole years.

On the one hand, as she walked through Republic City's streets, she was disappointed, mostly in herself. There she was, as carefree as she'd ever been, thinking that all of her friends had finally found peace in their lives, happiness and balance. But now? Noatak was arrested, _imprisoned_ , and the only man who had the authority to free him was the most stubborn, unreasonable man alive. And to top it all off, Korra hadn't done a thing to even start convincing him that Noatak was changed, that he didn't deserve prison.

Ah, yes. And on the other hand: profusive internal rage. It wasn't at Qarnau...entirely. He was an absolutely infuriating individual for sure, but Korra knew better than to direct that anger at him.

That didn't stop her from doing it though.

Why was he so intent on punishing Noatak? _How_ could he be? How could he be so blinded by "justice" to want to _do_ that to another human being?

 _Everyone has a reason for what they're doing. You just have to find it, and understand it._

Korra replayed her and Qarnau's argument over and over again in her head. His attitude, his dismissiveness, his self-righteousness, it was...appalling. What Lin had said about him being a bit like Korra used to wasn't completely off. But...it wasn't completely right though, either. Korra fully admitted that she was a stubborn, hot-headed, reckless spit-fire back in the day, but she _did_ always have good intentions. She always wanted to help others. What Qarnau wanted wasn't beneficial to...anyone really. The prison system hadn't ever seemed the most productive thing to her anyways.

And what he'd said about Kuvira... _Spirits_. How could one man _despise_ another person so much? How could he be so apathetic to all that she'd been through? He didn't even _try_ to sympathize with her in the slightest bit. Why was punishment the only way he cared to deal with others when they made mistakes?

 _He doesn't know her. He only knows the Great Uniter. He hasn't looked any deeper than that. He doesn't_ want _to._

But...no, that wasn't true either. He knew that she adopted Takeo and Anaya and Park, bless their giggly little hearts. He knew about what Wu did for her, fairly well too. If anyone would've said that Wu was smarter than the average person six years ago, everyone would've thought they were crazy. But he _knew_ the Earth Kingdom needed a change of government, with new, balanced leadership. And _he_ knew Kuvira was the only person who could offer that. And she had been for as long as she'd been Prime Minister, and she would for as long as she was wanted in office, which would honestly be for as long as she could at this point.

Korra couldn't help but smile just thinking about her. Spirits, she felt so stupid with pride for her. Kuvira had healed _so_ much from when she was the Great Uniter it was almost heartbreaking. She'd fixed her mistakes as Prime Minister, and beyond. Granted, she herself had denied being put in another political position at first. It was risky, dangerous, outright horrifying for her, but she put the Earth Kingdom back together before, so she knew best how to do it again. She had Korra backing her up, and she'd made amends with the Beifongs, her family, arguable the people she hurt most. Besides, a prime minister didn't have all the authority of a dictator, not by a long shot. There were the council and cabinet to keep her in check if ever in the impossible situation she went corrupt. She wasn't even the one proposing ideas half the time anymore now that the Earth Kingdom was stable again, just approving them.

But then there were some people out there like Qarnau, that didn't believe any of that, that actually hated her for it. Those kinds of people...made Korra more sad than mad.

 _Not everyone is you. Not everyone is as wise as you are._

 _"Noatak has done a lot of things that others aren't as willing as us to forget."_

 _Well...they should be._

Korra sighed as she walked into the building. Today wasn't a day to have her head in the clouds. Just hoping that people would change their minds about people like Noatak and Kuvira wasn't enough to actually make them do it. Acting was.

But Korra had to wait on that too, however. Why go through all the trouble of changing the public's opinion about a man in prison if he wasn't even going to be the same man by the time he got out?

 _N-No. Don't think like that. It's not that bad. It's just chi-blocking. He knows what it's like. He's an expert at it, one of the best ever. He's_ _probably_ _already figuring out some way to make himself immune to it. If not, he's still a tough guy. He can take it._

But that's what she had told herself about Kuvira when she was still in prison, and the Avatar _still_ sometimes found herself being haunted by what the soon-to-be Prime Minister almost did to herself.

What she _did_ do to herself.

Korra grunted, and threw open the door to an office, the office of someone she did not think she'd be going to today, or at all.

"K-Korra?" President Raiko asked, turning from his desk as he stood. "Why...what are you doing here?"

"Noatak," Korra said bluntly, walking into the room, "he's been arrested."

"What?" Raiko asked in surprise. "Noatak? _Arrested_? Isn't he living in the North Pole with his mother?"

"He was. He came to visit us all for a week, but he got arrested."

"Oh, that's...that's horrible."

"I'll say," Korra spat.

Raiko blinked, then slowly looked up at her. "You think... _I_ wanted him arrested."

Korra clenched her fists, trying to stay neutral. "I don't want to blame you, but _you're_ the one that put those chi-blocking protocols in place."

"The...chi-blocking?"

"Yeah. Before they let me see Noatak, they had to chi-block him. He couldn't even _walk_ afterwards they crippled him so bad. You authorized that, right?"

"I...That's... _Oh_ ," Raiko remembered. "W-When Qarnau's committee came to me with those protocols, I thought not much of it. It seemed to be an efficient way to deal with more dangerous benders such as Zaheer. As much as it pains me to admit it, the number of gifted benders who wish to harm others isn't going to go down anytime soon."

Korra found her eyes falling. "It... _is_ efficient, I guess." She furrowed her brow. "But you didn't authorize it because of Noatak?"

"N-No," Raiko said honestly, a little shocked. "Of course not. He served out his sentence with General Iroh by helping stop the Red Lotus. He hardly could've helped save Kuvira or Republic City while chi-blocked, much less imprisoned."

Korra was looking down again, her brow still furrowed.

Raiko looked at her, insisting. "Korra, I swear, I had nothing to do with Noatak's arrest."

After a moment, Korra finally nodded. "Okay...alright." She looked up at him. "I'm sorry. Thanks, Raiko."

He nodded. "If it would help you any, I'll try to arrange a little meeting with Qarnau myself, and discuss what he plans to do with Noatak. I can't promise I can free him or omit him from the protocols, but...I won't rule anything out for you."

Korra nodded, turning to walk out, feeling much more at ease than when she had walked in. "Thank you. I'd really appreciate it."

"Of course, Korra."

At ease? Yes. Knew what to do about Noatak and people like Qarnau? Not quite. As Korra walked out of Raiko's office, she smiled, already itching to start talking with the wisest person she knew that had experience in the kind of situation she was in.

#

Noatak sat in his cell, alone.

He was still on his bed, where Korra had left him, thankfully. He wanted to get up, but the chi-blocking hadn't quite worn off yet. It'd taken a toll on him. The guards' chi-blocking had seemed...different to what he'd taught Equalists. He reminded himself that most of his victims weren't chi-blocked by _five_ men all at once. He couldn't help but wonder if it was a different technique, if they were preforming it right. It felt like it was finally starting to wear off, so it must've been a half-hour as the guards had said it would take. He'd been able to reach his food from the table and eat, also thanks to Korra, even though he was handcuffed, his hands shaky and numbed. It was decent food, not the home-cooked meals he'd been having with his mother, but it was plenty for him.

His _mother_.

 _Oh_ no _. W-What will she do when she finds out I've been imprisoned? W-What if she_ never _finds out? How will she—_

The door suddenly jarred open. Noatak flinched, fearing that the guards were rushing back in to chi-block him all over again. He jumped to the split-second conclusion that they'd made some decision to keep him chi-blocked all day and night, to keep him permanently paralyzed so that any attempt at escape would never be possible.

But there were no guards, and no chi-blocking. Only Lin walked calmly into the cell, and closed the door behind her, locking it. She looked at him, gentle and friendly, by her standards. "Noatak."

Noatak shakily nodded, nonetheless relieved to see a familiar face. "Hello, Lin."

The chief glanced over her shoulder, as if she were listening for something. She didn't appear to hear anything. "I've bought us some time. I'd like to use it."

"Oh. Um...okay."

"How're you holding up?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Decently." He glanced around. "Worst thing here is the decor."

Lin sighed in relief. "Good." She looked away, biting her lip for a moment. "I tried, but I can't get them to budge on the protocols. They don't trust you to comply, even after your surrender. I'm sorry."

Noatak slowly looked down, nodding. He didn't know why he even bothered to feel disappointed. "I see..."

"Also," Lin said regretfully, "Korra's not gonna be able to visit you for a few days. We need things to...cool down first. Qarnau specifically banned _her_ from seeing you, so if she's the _only_ person that ever comes to visit you on a regular basis..."

"That could lead to trouble," Noatak finished her sentence. "I understand."

Lin nodded. "If Korra can't come visit you, you can count on me to pop in for her. I'll be around here more often than her anyways. I did it for Kuvira, and I'll do it for you."

Noatak nodded, smiling at the woman whose bending he had once stolen. "Thank you. I appreciate it, Lin."

She returned the smile, as if her bending had never been taken, as if they'd known each other their whole lives. "No problem." She turned to walk out, but found herself hesitating. She looked back at him. "Is there...anything I can try to get for you?"

Noatak looked around. He wasn't quite accustomed to the cell yet to know if it was comfortable enough for him. "Nothing at the moment," he told her. "But I will let you know if I think of anything."

"Alright," she said, opening the door. "Things aren't gonna stay like this. This is only temporary. Remember that. Stay strong, and hang in there."

"Will do," he replied.

 _Mother..._

"W-Wait!" he said, causing Lin to stop in the open doorway. "C-Can you somehow...let my mother know what's happened?"

Lin's eyes widened, having not thought about Maran until just then either. "I'll...find a way to reach her," she promised. "Maybe Korra can travel through the Spirit World and meet her at the North Pole."

Noatak sighed in relief. "Good. Thank you."

Lin nodded, walked out, and resentfully locked the door behind her, leaving Noatak alone, again.

He looked down and rubbed his arm. Even though she'd visited him just earlier, and he and Lin had _just_ spoken, he couldn't help but wish Korra were there with him.

 _She's finding a way to free me, or at the very least a way to reason with Qarnau. That's where she needs to be. Coddling me won't get me out of here._

Noatak clenched his fist. Ah, that was good. His feeling was returning. He smiled as moved all his fingers, and rolled his cuffed wrists. How _invigorating_ it was to have proper muscle control again, blood rushing back into place. He really wished Korra was there so that they could spar, but he was getting ahead of himself. Perhaps he could get a punching-bag of some sort. He could set his mattress up against the wall. That was close enough. He got up off the bed and—

And he fell to his knees with a thud. He stifled a grunt, his legs twanging. He panted as he knelt. Perhaps only _some_ of the chi-blocking was wearing off. The guards _had_ targeted his upper-body first. No matter. He wasn't about to waste this power rush.

Noatak strategically fell the rest of the way to the floor, landing on his elbows, the metal cool against his bare arms. He scooted his cuffed hands underneath his chest, and started doing push-ups. He preferred to place his hands wider apart, and sometimes go for the ostentatious one-handed push-up, but this would have to do.

As he did his reps, mechanically pushing himself up and down, he really hoped that Korra was making progress on freeing him.

#

Korra rubbed her cheek in thought, sitting cross-legged on the ground. "So...But...Wait, he never approached you all on his own?"

Aang sat across from her, scratching his beard, blue and incorporeal, as all Avatar's spiritual projections were. "Oh no, he did, when we were in Ba Sing Se. He told us he had a tip that could help us find Appa. He actually met with Katara first." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Though it...didn't end too well for him at the time."

"But that's when he said he was changed?" Tenzin clarified, sitting next to Korra, his posture rigid with his hands in his lap, like a student trying to contain their eagerness to learn.

"Yes," Aang said with a nod. "He...Well, that was after he was brainwashed by the Dai Li, but he was changed indeed. We were all wary of him at first, especially when his friends said that he'd been _arrested_ by the Dai Li, but he regretted what he did, and we got through to him. He remembered that there was a secret base hidden beneath Lake Laogai, and he fought along with us. He was critically injured while we were fighting their leader, Long Feng. Katara was unable to heal him. We didn't want to leave, but he told us to go find Appa. So we did. His friends stayed with him while we left. That...was the last time we ever saw him."

"Oh," Korra said somberly. She looked down, mulling over Aang's story. "That's...great, but...it's not quite what I'm looking for right now."

"I think," Tenzin chimed, "we need someone who was more...well-known by the general public."

"Ah," Aang said, stroking his chin. "I see..."

After a long moment, Korra looked up. "What about Ozai?"

Aang looked up and inhaled, contemplating. "Ozai was...reflective, but never exactly repentant. I don't think I'd quite classify him as changed like Jet or Zuko, or even Azula."

"What'd you guys do with him?" Korra asked.

"As Team Avatar? Not much, I admit. He was always very caught up in his mindset of being the Fire Lord, what a Fire Lord could or was 'supposed' to accomplish."

"Like Sozin," Korra recalled.

"Very much like Sozin," Aang agreed with a nod, "considering that Sozin was the one who started the Hundred-Year War in the first place. We did what we could with Ozai, but he was never open enough to listen. We tried, believe me, but...he never did listen. But we never abandoned him. We actually were able to have him work on some war-rebuilding, outside of prison, to try to get him to fix some of what he'd done. Zuko went to visit him quite often too. He always asked for advice on how to be a good Fire Lord, and he usually got it, if I remember right."

"What did people think of him?" Korra asked. "Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, anyone."

"The world...was not very fond of him, understandably, and never really was. The Fire Nation itself was rather split in terms of its opinion on him. Half of its citizens stayed loyal and thought that what he wanted was just, that the Fire Nation should've kept spreading its reign, but the other half was very accepting of Zuko trying to reconnect with the rest of the world."

Korra nodded. She rubbed her thumb against the side of her hand for a moment. "Did he... _die_ in prison?"

Aang hesitated, then nodded grimly. "I'm afraid so. He was never stable enough to be let out on his own, freely. It hurt, truly, but...you can't _force_ someone to be sorry." After a moment, he looked up, his smile returned. "I'm glad that you were able to accomplish the opposite with Kuvira."

Korra smiled back. "Me too. Thanks, Aang." She looked at Tenzin. "Anything else you wanna say?"

Tenzin looked down, twiddling his thumbs. "Umm...no," he finally said. "I don't think so." He hesitated, then looked back up at Aang. "Goodbye, Dad."

Aang smiled with gentle pride, and closed his eyes. "Goodbye, Tenzin."

Korra touched her fists together, breathed in and out, and Aang faded away. She stood up with Tenzin, and he put a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you _so_ much, Korra."

She smiled. "Of course, Tenzin. Anytime you want to talk with him, just let me know. You don't have to hesitate. I can pull him up whenever we need him."

"I'll keep it in mind," he said with a nod. "And I will. Thank you, again."

"Hey!"

Korra looked up at that voice, and turned, smiling. Finally, some extra support. "Hey, Mako!"

"Hello, Mako," Tenzin cheerfully greeted as well.

Mako nodded with a smile as he walked up to them, his hands in his pockets. "Hey, Tenzin. Hey, Korra. Sorry I'm late. It took me longer to wrap up some stuff back at the department than I thought it would. Did I miss much?"

Korra lost her smile. She and Tenzin looked at each other. "Quite a bit, actually," he said somberly.

"Oh," Mako said, losing his smile as well. He looked around. "Where's Bolin? Didn't he come early?"

Tenzin started looking around too. "He did. I'm...not quite sure where he went to. He was with Pema and the kids last I saw." He sighed. "I guess I'll go and find him..."

Korra watched Tenzin as he walked away. With him gone, she turned to Mako with a smirk, crossing her arms. "So, you turned down a raise, huh?"

"Oh," he said. "You know about that?"

"Lin told me. She's been doing who knows what for _months_ to try and get that for you."

He shrugged with a smile. "What can I say? I like detective. It suits me."

"She told me that too."

He scoffed in laughter. "Well, sorry for wanting to stay humble."

His smile disappeared when he noticed that Korra's had done the same. "I...have a feeling that whatever happened is really important."

Korra sighed. "It's...about Noatak, and none of it's good."

"Oh no," Mako said, his eyes widening. "I thought I heard some guys back at the department throwing his name around, but...I didn't want to believe it. He... _really_ got arrested?"

Korra nodded. "Yeah. A squad of officers came here earlier today and demanded for him."

"Did you go to visit him already? Is he doin' okay?"

"Yes, and...I think so. He's in solitary lock-up. Lin's been seeing what she can do about getting him out since I left."

"Oh," Mako said, looking down. " _That's_ why I couldn't find her."

"They're not _just_ keeping him in solitary though," Korra said, trying to contain her sad rage. "Before they let me in, five guards beat him down to the floor and chi-blocked him all at once. He could barely _move_ after what they did to him."

"Whoa," Mako said, shocked. "Th-they have to do that _every_ time you visit him?"

"I'm pretty sure, yeah, anytime he gets a visitor, so he doesn't 'attack' anyone or try to escape." She sighed, trying to calm herself. "I'm...I'm just worrying too much. He told me that he's okay with it, but..." She sighed again.

"It might get to be much for him," Mako said in understanding.

"Yeah." Korra started rubbing her arm. "We...we can't let him stay in there. I don't want him to start... _wasting away_ like Kuvira was. He has a life to live. I-I can't _let_ him—"

"Hey," Mako said with soft intensity, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Korra, it's not gonna come to that, alright? We won't let it. Those years in that wheelchair? That _had_ to have made him stronger, like it did for you. Prison'll be nothing for him. We'll find a way to get him out, all of us. If Kuvira was able to get released early after what happened, _twenty-five years_ early, then Noatak's gotta be too."

Korra looked Mako in the eye. For a moment, she wanted to tell him that he was wrong. She wanted to let him know how stubborn and unmoved Qarnau was by her earlier efforts, to start blaming him, to admit defeat, to say that they were in over their heads, but...

 _"You're a mystery to me, Great Uniter."_

But she didn't save Kuvira by giving up. She didn't help her become the Prime Minister of the Earth Kingdom by giving up. She didn't learn how to re-enter the Spirit World by giving up. She didn't stop terrorists, a civil war, or a revolution by giving up. She had help too, from her friends, her family, and now, her past lives. She needed to remember that.

She looked down and sighed, nodding. "Okay," she said quietly. "You're right. We _can_ do this, together." She looked back up at him, and smiled a small smile. "Thanks, Mako."

Mako returned the smile, then took his hand off her shoulder with a laugh. "Wow, I don't think I've seen you this worried since...ever. Not even with Kuvira."

Korra tried to laugh too. "Yeah. I don't know why I'm being like this either. I...guess since she was the first time I've ever helped someone like that, I was so caught up with helping that I didn't realize what prison was capable of."

"Well she's out now," Mako said. "She has been for over a year, happy with a family and everything, and she's gonna stay that way."

"Yeah," Korra said, nodding. "She is. Thanks."

After a small moment, Mako sighed. "Well, I don't think this reunion is going as well as we planned it to."

Korra smiled wanly. "They never do, don't they?"

"Yeah." Mako sighed again. "Welp, since Bo' and Asami aren't here, we might as well start brain-storming a way to free Noatak."

"That's the thing," Korra gingerly stopped him. "The guy who had Noatak arrested is, uh..."

"A total jerk?"

"I didn't want to say that exactly, but yeah, he's as unreasonable as they come."

"Have we ever run into him before?"

"No, but Tenzin and Lin have. His name's Qarnau. He's a judge, pretty high up the chain from what I know."

"Huh," Mako said, holding his chin. "You're right, I've...never heard of him before."

"Apparently," Korra told him, "Tenzin said he used to an associate of Tarrlok way back when."

"Oh," Mako said with surprise. "Well no wonder he has beef against Noatak."

"That can't be _all_ though," Korra said in thought. "There has to be more to it than that. ' _He worked for a guy that hated him_ ' isn't a very good reason."

Mako scratched his neck. "Well...did you try...talking with him yet?"

"Yeah, I did, before I came here." Korra sighed just thinking about it. "He... _Man_ , is he aggravating. He kept saying things like 'criminals never change' and that I'm 'auspicious' and stuff like that, like I don't know what I'm doing."

Mako crossed his arms. "Huh. Because some judge knows more about keeping balance than the Avatar."

" _Thank you_!" Korra exclaimed. "He kept calling Noatak a 'criminal,' like he doesn't even have a name."

"Well, technically he _is_ a criminal."

Korra looked up at him with a raised brow, unimpressed.

Mako hesitated, shrugging sheepishly. "Strictly speaking, anyone who's ever committed a crime is technically...uh...But, titles aren't everything. Sorry."

Korra sighed. "It's okay. He...Ugh, don't get me started about what he said about Kuvira."

"...I assume none of it was good—"

"He _hates_ her! He thinks that she should get sent back to prison, instead of keeping her as Prime Minister! He wants to stop the one woman that's made the Earth Kingdom stable for so long from doing her job because of something she did _years_ ago."

"Well, if that happened they'd find someone else, maybe someone from the council or the cabinet. The world leaders _were_ planning on finding other candidates before Wu suggested her to them."

Korra looked up at him, again.

Mako hesitated, again. "I...It's extreme of him, definitely. There's no good reason to hate her now. No one's ever gonna run the Earth Kingdom as well as she's been."

"But it's not just politically that he hates her," Korra said. "He doesn't care that she was orphaned, he doesn't care about how hard prison was for her, he...he's just...nothing. No reason for any of it."

Mako thought for a moment. "There's gotta be somethin'. You sure he just doesn't know the whole story?"

"He knows alright. He knows that Kuvira was the one that made the constitutional monarchy, he knows that Wu was the one that got her out early, he...he said that she and I ' _indoctrinated_ ' Park and Anaya and Takeo! She _adopted_ them! They were _orphaned_!"

"Wow," Mako said in disgust. "Sounds like a stand-up guy."

Korra sighed heavily, her anger turning to sad contemplation. "I know that not everyone will love Kuvira as much as we do after what she did, and I know that not everyone will understand people like her and Noatak, but...I just...Why can't people see that when someone's sorry for their mistakes, they _deserve_ a chance to fix them? Wanting to change, wanting to never do what they did again: why isn't that enough? And even if they don't, why then? Forgiving is hard, but so is keeping a grudge."

Mako looked down in thought for a moment, rubbing his chin. "When we were in Gaoling, Lee said something along the lines of, uh...'It's easy to forgive people that haven't done anything to you personally.' You know how long it took Su to finally visit Kuvira on her own when she was in prison."

"Yeah," Korra said, nodding in thought. "Infuriatingly long." How such an incredibly compassionate woman could be so hypocritical towards her own _daughter_ was _still_ mind-bogglingly hurtful. But perhaps that made her renewed kindness towards Kuvira and others all the more impactful now.

"She helped Varrick so easily because she didn't really know him," Mako said. "He hadn't done anything to her."

Korra nodded, still stuck in thought. _Personal_. "Yeah..."

Mako started to eye her. "I've always wondered...how come you aren't like that?"

Korra didn't look up at first. "Huh?"

"Like Su was. I'm not sure when it happened to you exactly, or if you were always like that, but...Everything your enemies have ever done to you, taking your bending, torturing you, almost killing you, and...you just don't care. You drop everything, sacrifice everything, go _out_ of your way to _help_ them now. Why? _How_? I mean, not that it's a _bad_ thing. It's...awesome."

Korra looked down for a moment. She shrugged, then looked back up at Mako. "Because no one else will. And they're not my 'enemies' or 'villains' or anything like that. We all do bad things, just in different ways. Once you start seeing someone as your enemy, like Su did, of course you won't want to help them. But...like I did with Kuvira, that's when they need to be helped most."

Mako nodded in understanding, his arms crossed.

Korra smirked. "And plus, I'm the Avatar, so it's kinda my job."

Mako smirked too. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Korra looked around. Tenzin hadn't appeared to have found Bolin yet. "I got a few stops to make," she told Mako. "I think I'll make it back before evening. Is Asami still coming?"

"Yeah, she said she had an unexpected business meeting. She should be here before evening too."

"Cool," Korra said, starting to walk away. "Every time we have a reunion, one of us is usually missing. I kinda wanna stop that tradition."

"Well," Mako said with a smirk, "you're not gonna stop it this time. Kuvira's as busy as she usually is, Lee and Iroh aren't back yet..." His smirk faded. "And...Noatak's—"

"Yeah," Korra muttered, her smile gone too. "Noatak."

#

Korra furrowed her brow, holding Tenzin's radio mic up to her mouth. "So...you guys haven't really made any progress."

 _"Little to no progress,"_ General Iroh's voice sadly admitted from the receiver. _"We thought we had a lead, but...the Air Nomads are everywhere now. It could've been any one of them. They're always traveling too, so it's not been easy. I'm sorry. I...wish we could be in more places at once to check."_

Korra nodded, sighing. "Okay. Thank you." She thought for a moment, then smirked with a raised brow. "How's the captain?"

She could almost hear Iroh's smile on the other end of the radio. _"Loyal, hardworking, if not a bit overenthusiastic sometimes."_

Korra chuckled. "Hey, it only took me three years to get antsy for battle. Just try to imagine _ten_."

 _"I'd rather not,"_ Iroh said with a pained sigh. _"I'm just glad he and Noatak are both living healthily now."_

Korra lost her smile. "That's...why I called. I wanted to let you guys know that...Noatak's been arrested."

Iroh went silent. _"They...found out?"_

"Yeah. A judge named Qarnau's been trying to track him down for three months. They finally got him in solitary, and they're not gonna let him out. I have no idea when his trial's gonna be. He's doing okay, for now, but...who knows what could happen, what they might do, how long it could take."

Iroh was silent again. Finally, he spoke, quiet. _"I'll...try to find a way to break it to him."_

#

Korra sighed, sitting on a large rock in the lush green plains of the Spirit World. Naga was rolling and wagging in the grass behind her. "So, yeah. He's in prison, and we can't get him out."

"Oof," Ghazan said, sitting on another rock. "Yikes. That's rough."

Korra snorted. "I'll say."

"Kinda makes me glad that I'm dead now."

Korra looked up at Ghazan with a raised brow.

He shrugged. "Well, y'know... _now_ I don't have to go to prison."

Korra looked down and sighed. "Can we change the subject, please..."

"Oh. Sorry." Ghazan looked away, bouncing his leg, trying to think of something else to bring up. "Oh! Bolin's lavabending lessons!"

Korra looked back up, excited. "Oh! Yeah! How _are_ those going?"

Ghazan chuckled. "Kid's a natural! I don't know what there is to say. He's really shapin' up, getting control. I think I'm proud of him. He forgot to bring some rock with him the first time he came here, so we just ended up talking, for a long time. He...had a lot of questions."

Korra smiled. "Yeah, I thought he would."

"He said, uh..." Ghazan gave his fingers a few snaps, trying to remember. "He said some 'Lee' guy was supposed to come with him, but he was busy."

"Lee, yeah. He's the one that got a nurse to patch up Ming-Hua after she was..."

"When Iroh got...and tried to..."

"Yeah..."

"Yeah..."

"He's actually Iroh's captain now," Korra said, "in the United Forces."

"Huh," Ghazan said with a few approving nods. "Good for him."

Korra glanced around. "Speaking of, where is she? Ming-Hua?"

Ghazan lit up. "Oh! She's off wanderin' around again, checking everything out. She loves it here. So do I. I kinda regret not learning how to meditate and all that. I would've loved to come here whenever I wanted, just to get away from everything for a while..."

His words hung in the air for a moment, both him and Korra going quiet. He looked up at her. "Have you...found Zaheer yet?"

Korra shook her head. "No, we...haven't."

"Hey, Ghazan!" Bolin suddenly called, walking up, wearing a backpack. "I'm here! And I brought rocks!"

Ghazan looked over at him, smiled, and slid off of his rock. "Great! That's step one. Now you just need to get good at lavabending."

Bolin laughed an incredibly fake laugh, a quick bark of sarcasm. "Funny. _Very_ funny. I'm just crackin' up over—" He noticed Korra. "Oh! Korra! H-Hi! What're you doing here?"

Korra smiled and slid off her rock as well. "I just needed to talk with Ghazan for a little. Sorry for taking up your guys's time."

"Oh, no! You can stay if you want!"

"Actually," Korra said, turning away, "I have something else that I need to take care of. It's important. You two have fun."

"Oh. Okay. We will! Nice seeing you!"

Korra giggled. "You too, Bolin." She nodded at Ghazan. "Later, Ghazan."

Ghazan nodded with a smirk. "See you 'round, Korra."

As Korra started making her way to the northern spirit portal on Naga's back, she couldn't help but snag a bit of Bolin and Ghazan's banter.

"So, Sifu Ghazan!" Bolin said as he dropped his backpack, earthbending out all the rocks. "What're we doing today?"

"Well, I thought we should focus a bit more on your energy compression. That's where I'd say you're sloppiest. There's a _lot_ of energy involved with lava, and you're not using yours efficiently. It's more of a...gradual thing, even though it happens quickly. It's not just chuckin' a rock."

"Aww, but we did that _yesterday_!"

"It's, like, the most important part of lavabending."

" _You're_ the most important part of lavabending!"

#

Wearing her coat, her breath visible in the chilly air, Korra arrived at a small town in the Northern Water Tribe. It had been a fairly short ride from the spirit portal, not that distance would've ever been an issue. This had to be done.

Korra left Naga to wait outside of town, giving the polar bear-dog a few pets on the head to ease her whines. She made her way to the smaller, more humble homes. She went up to the door of one of them, and knocked. She wasn't forced to wait very long.

The door was opened by an elderly woman. She was a little shorter than Korra, and her hair was white, which she was wearing in the traditional Water Tribe loop style. Her blue eyes widened upon seeing Korra. "Oh!" she said, fairly chipper for her age. "Hello, Korra. What a surprise."

Korra smiled. "Hi, Maran."

"Well, come in, come in," Maran said, ushering her inside and closing the door behind her. "What are you doing here? Would you like me to fix up some lunch?" she asked, already gathering a few dishes and ingredients.

"No," Korra gently stopped her, "I'm fine, thank you. I came here because there's...something I need to tell you..."

Maran stopped her rummaging. She turned to look at Korra, her brow furrowed. She looked at the open doorway, then back at her again. "W...Well where's Noatak? Aren't you all supposed to be...?"

Korra sighed. "That's what I came to tell you. Noatak...he...he got arrested."

"What? _Arrested_? F-For..."

"They found out about the revolution. Some guy's wanted him arrested for three months, and they finally got to him. They're charging him for...everything. He's already locked up. I don't know when his trial's gonna be, what they plan on doing with him."

"Oh..." Maran held her forehead. She stepped back, putting her other hand on the counter. "Oh no..." She was soon on her knees, holding her head with both hands. "No, I...I just got him _back_. I can't lose him...not _again_..."

"Don't worry," Korra said with concern, kneeling as well, holding her shoulders. "I'll find a way to get him out, I promise. I visited him once already. He's okay, just in solitary is all. He's fine."

Maran was keeping calm, relatively, now only holding a hand over her chest. "Oh...Noatak..."

"Tenzin said you're welcome to stay at Air Temple Island with us," Korra told her, "if you don't want to be living alone. There's plenty of room for you. He and Pema and all their kids can come pick you up on their sky bison in a few days, if you want."

Maran looked down at the floor, taking in all of Korra's news. Finally, she looked up, wearing a gentle smile. "I think I might."

Korra smiled back. She stayed with Maran for a little while longer, not wanting to leave her alone after hearing such news. But, eventually, she was still convinced to leave, though not before promising to get Lin to schedule a visit for her. That was the least they could do for Maran, after everything her and Noatak had been through.

As Korra climbed back on top of Naga outside of town, she sighed, wishing she could be the bearer of _good_ news for once.

#

Korra did make it back before evening as she had promised, but only just barely. The sky had turned orange, the spirit portal's yellow glow almost seeming to melt into it. She sighed as she walked across the Air Temple Island plaza. To think that today had started so...blissfully. Waking up, meditating, conversing with Aang and other past lives, practicing her bending forms, Noatak's surprise visit, it was all perfect. Now it had devolved into visiting people in prison, arguing about prison, telling others about who was imprisoned, thinking about prison.

Korra was sick of prison. She had been for six years and three months now.

She pushed open the front door, staggering in and sighing like she'd just been through a hard day of work. She kind of had been, compared to what she'd done the last three months. She looked up, and was greeted with the sight of Tenzin, Lin, Bolin, Mako, and—

"Korra!" Asami said.

Just the pick-me-up she needed.

"Asami!" Korra said, a big smile growing despite her exhaustion. She sunk into her arms, feeling the first bit of genuine relief since her visit with Noatak.

"Ohh," Asami sighed, hugging her tighter. "It's been a while. It's _so_ great to see you again. How've you been? Mako and Bolin have been telling me that you went to visit Noatak. Is he okay?"

Korra sighed as she pulled away. "I'm doing alright, and yeah, he's okay, for the most part. What I'm worried about is how much they're chi-blocking him."

Lin stepped up, urgent. "Korra, I hate to interrupt, but you need to make sure you go see Maran soon. She needs to know what happened to Noatak."

"I already did go see her," Korra said. "She was my last stop."

"Y-You did?" Lin asked, blinking. "Oh. Well...good. That's the only thing Noatak asked for when I checked up on him."

Korra couldn't help but smile. "That humble idiot. I think he gets it from his mom."

"Probably," Asami said with a smile as well. It unfortunately faded away. "The chi-blocking...how bad is it, exactly?"

"They chi-blocked him... _everywhere_ ," Korra said with wide eyes. "I know it's supposed to paralyze you, but...not like _he_ was. He said they only did it that once, when I visited him." She looked down, clenching her fists in anger, muttering, "And they'll have to do it again when I visit him tomorrow..."

"Korra," Lin stopped her, "you...you can't visit Noatak tomorrow."

"W-What?" Korra asked. "Why?!"

"Qarnau specifically banned _you_ ," Lin calmly explained, "and _only_ you. You can't visit Noatak all willy-nilly whenever you want. I'm gonna have to clear you first, otherwise you could get in serious trouble and end up in a cell right next to him. You're not being _allowed_ to see him like you were with Kuvira."

Korra hesitated, and found herself looking down. Lin did have a point, and her promise to Tenzin earlier today flickered in her mind again. "Well...I can't just _leave_ him. We don't know how much he needs me."

"I visited him too," Lin said, sympathetic. "He's doing _fine_. I'll check up on him every day that you can't, I promise. He's not only _your_ responsibility, Korra. We can all do something to help him."

Korra was silent, even if she acted like she had something else to say.

"Just give me a few days," Lin promised, "and I'll make something happen. Then you can visit him again."

Korra looked down, contemplating. It went against all of her to abandon Noatak like this, but—

No, she wasn't " _abandoning_ " him. She wouldn't. It was just like what she did for Kuvira. She just had to wait to see him again. He was nowhere _near_ where Kuvira was mentally when she was imprisoned. He'd be fine on his own for a week, even more than a week if it took that long.

Korra finally sighed. "Okay. I understand."

"So," Mako said, "if Noatak's gonna be okay in prison for a while, that means we have time to find a way to get him out."

Lin looked at Korra. "How did your talk with Qarnau go?"

Korra shook her head. "Not good. He wants Noatak in prison until his trial, whenever that is, and won't listen to anything I have to say to him. He's not gonna budge."

"Mm," Lin said solemnly. "I thought as much." She smirked. "He has a way of getting his points across, doesn't he?"

Korra forced herself to smirk as well. "Yeah, _he's_ somethin' alright. Actually, after I...' _talked_ ' with him, I went to Raiko. He said that he approved Qarnau's chi-blocking thing, but also that he had nothing to do with Noatak being arrested. He told me he'd go talk with Qarnau himself, and see what he can do about freeing Noatak, or at the very least negating him from the protocols."

"Huh," Mako said with crossed arms. "Raiko's... _helping_ us for once."

Tenzin stroked his beard. "Yes, that is... _very_ generous of him. Only time will tell what Qarnau will allow, but until then...what can _we_ do? There has to be _something_ more productive we should be doing than just waiting."

Everyone was quiet for a moment, thinking as well. Bolin suddenly smiled and snapped his fingers. "I got it! I know what we need to do! We need to let people know how good of a person Noatak is! How much he's changed! Like you did with Kuvira!"

"How?" Korra asked. "Noatak's in prison. Kuvira was paroled by Wu."

"Well...Wu can just parole _him_!"

"Can't. Noatak's in United Republic custody."

"Shoot!" Bolin said with a snap of his fingers. "I thought I had that one! Man, politics are hard."

Korra sighed, looking down. "Yeah...they are..."

Asami's eyes widened. She looked up. "Wait. Bolin's onto something."

"I am?"

"Yes. It all comes down to his public image, what others think of him, if he's still a threat, right? I have an idea, but I gotta head back to my office to see if we can make it work."

"We?"

"Don't worry," Asami said, backing out of the room. "A few radio calls, and people will start seeing Noatak as Noatak, not Amon. Stay hopeful, guys."

As she walked out, Korra looked down and sighed.

Hope. If only.

#

Push-ups, Noatak found, were one of the few exercises he was able to do while handcuffed, not that he wasn't used to doing them. He certainly was, those distantly close years in the wheelchair still in the back of his mind, but practicing waterbending forms out in the snow and cold back home had gotten him accustomed to more...lateral methods. Luckily, he was beginning to feel drowsy, so hopefully it was night, or at least evening. There were no windows in his cell to look at the sky, or a clock, or even a radio. He'd finally considered to ask Lin for one when she next came back, so he'd have some music, or even just to hear some different voices. The white noise of the cell was deafening sometimes. Exercising let him ignore it for a little while, and sleep was a welcome change as well.

Noatak paused for a moment, scoffing at himself as sweat beaded off his forehead. It had been only one day in a cell, and there he was noting and condemning every little part of it. He kept telling himself to stop, to not squander his mind like that, but another bit of him suggested that if he was going to stay imprisoned for some time, he may need to keep his analytical side intact, sharpened.

But that was then. Korra had yet to make some sort of arrangement with Qarnau, and it was going to take some time until she could relay their conclusion. So for now, Noatak would just focus on exercising and sleeping. Maybe he should ask for some books, he thought. Kuvira had told him that she'd spent much of her time in prison reading. He couldn't exercise forever.

With that last thought in mind, he had to finish his reps, his arms well past aching. He shifted so that he sat on the floor of his cell. He breathed in and out, sweating. He looked down at his uniform, bland and grey as it was. He had found a few changes of clothes in the bathroom in the back, all sleeveless, not his preferred style, not that he had much stake in fashion. The bathroom, admirably, was designed to not use any water. Ironic, that they'd tried depriving Noatak of all water, in diet and in hygiene, when he was always surrounded by water. In fact, a waterbender's very _sweat_ could be their weapon.

 _Don't give them any ideas. These conditions are unsatisfactory enough already._

Wait. He looked down at those ever-annoying weights on his wrists, brow furrowed and frowning. How was he supposed to change his shirt or any clothing for that matter if he was always _handcuffed_?

The door jarred. Shuffling, stomping. The next second, Noatak was slammed and pinned against the floor, being punched and slugged and chi-blocked all over. He wasn't able to grunt or even inhale the entire time. He could only clench his teeth and jaw.

As soon as it all started, it was over. He gasped, his face against cold metal.

"Hey," one of the guards said with a deep rasp. "You look kinda down. Maybe you need a friend. Qarnau found this washed up on the shore of the bay... _ten years_ ago."

The guard threw it to the floor before walking back out the door with the others, slamming it shut. Noatak's "friend" clattered in front of his face, hollow and wooden, cracked and decaying, though it was still all too recognizable.

Chi-blocked, weakened, forced to stay on his elbows and knees, Noatak could only stare at it, breathless. "N- _No_..."

Laying on the floor, elegantly carved to have the slightest of perpetual smiles, was the mask of Amon.

* * *

 **Notes:** Oh shoot how did that happen?

So, what Noatak's life in prison is gonna be like is a little more laid out now. I think I at least mentioned everyone else that was missing from Book 5. Super chill Ghazan and Ming-Hua in the Spirit World are gonna pop back up again.

Also I'M sO sORRY THis chapter took so much longer to get out than the others! I've been through a lot lately, family-wise, health-wise, not to mention my internet quit for like five days. All the previous chapters have been much shorter, and I hit a bit of a writer's block too with this chapter, but I think these past few days without internet have given me some time to recharge. I have all the upcoming chapters at least outlined and many scenes mostly written out, so there's little excuse for me not plugging away at this when I have the chance. I'm gonna try to make some time each day to work on this too, just to make sure. I'm not gonna give up on this fic, if you were worrying. I will see it through.

Also also, I've been wanting to give this fic a title change. I'm not sure what to change it to, though. Something less punny and more like, "Amon: Victim" or some such. If you've got any suggestions about anything, I'd love to hear them! Really any feedback in general is always appreciated.

And don't worry, I wouldn't be mentioning Kuvira this much without her having a special guest appearance soon, the chapter after the next one probably :)


	6. A New Visitor

Noatak was awoken by a fist to the throat.

Then to the neck, the collar-bone, the deltoids. He was pulled from his bed, and crumpled to the floor, where he received more punches to his back. Numbed. Paralyzed. He'd sadly grown somewhat accustomed to this.

He was thrown into the side of his bed. He barely held himself up, his wrists still cuffed, _always_ cuffed. It was in these disorienting brief seconds that Noatak actually preferred the isolation, when the guards would just slide his food tray under the door, with no contact or faces, like the animal he...

Noatak blinked hard and shook his head. He looked up at the wall next to his bed, the darkness of early morning still lingering.

How many days had it been since he'd last seen Korra?

The footsteps behind him got quieter. The guards were leaving. He was alone, for now. He grimaced, groaned, trying to stave the stinging pain emanating from numerous points on his body, places he'd begun to memorize, places more so that were starting to bruise over. Memorizing the points was all there was for him to keep track of, really. Some distant, void-like part of him _seethed_ to find a way to bloodbend and block and protect the points, so that he wouldn't be paralyzed. But no, he couldn't. Not that bloodbending one's own body wasn't doable. It was, completely.

He'd...done it before, admittedly. Three times, if memory served. He did it once during the start of the Equalist Revolution, just to see if it could be done. His mind was so twisted and bent on "equality" that he wasn't even aware of how entirely disturbing what he was doing was. He didn't find much use for it.

That was until the second time he bloodbended himself, which was when he hunted down and confronted Tarrlok after he'd kidnapped Korra. Tarrlok bloodbent all his Equalist troops and Lee into unconsciousness, but Amon walked right up to him, craning against the internal rush of flows of blood, unstoppable, not even a man then, a machine. After that feat, that _thing_ that Noatak was had never _dreamed_ he would be forced into a cell like he was now.

But those instances paled in comparison to the third, and _last_ time. The most haunting memory of all was during the darkest period when he was paralyzed, forced into that...cursed wheelchair. Lee was having trouble scrounging up even the most low-paying odd-job, and Noatak was often left alone in whatever room they were pitifully offered to stay in, and one day he...wondered if he could make himself walk. How surreal that thought had been back then. It seemed more productive than pulling water from the air and dispersing it again, though that discovery was elating enough itself, and it was more stimulating than doing push-ups and crunches for the umpteenth time. So, he bloodbent his legs, and stood up for what felt like the first time in an eternity.

It was _agonizing_ , due to the fact that most of his legs were covered in a mixed degree of burns, the bloodbending itself, and that it disturbed every internal fiber of himself that he _chose_ to do it. He only took three steps before he collapsed to the floor, leaving himself to crawl back up into the wheelchair in a cold sweat, gasping, panting.

He never spoke a word of it to Lee.

But he _had_ told his mother. She was just as horrified as he was with himself when he'd done it.

So no, protecting his chi wasn't a matter of theory, it was a matter of will. After all he'd done, he promised, to Tarrlok, to Korra, to Mako, to all the people he hurt, to himself that he'd never bloodbend again. He couldn't.

So he didn't. He just suffered.

He shifted himself so that he sat on the floor of his cell, his back propped against his bed, so that he was at least upright. The lights, he'd noticed, dimmed during the evening, and brightened in the morning. They never turned completely off. It wasn't as irritating as he thought it would be. His breath regained, he looked down, and to his left...

The mask.

It was still on the floor, of course. He hadn't touched it at all last night. Once he was able to move, he'd just gone straight to sleep, or bed, at least. Sleep was never the easiest thing for him. _Getting_ to sleep, mostly. His mind was usually in high-gear, even before prison. It had subdued quite a bit when he was living with his mother.

After a moment of mental groping, he finally decided to reach and shakily pick the mask up.

He was relieved how... _alien_ it felt in his chained hands. Maybe that was because he had never held it that often. He wore it all during the Equalist Revolution, even while he slept, which was honestly not so easy or often then either, though...not because of the mask.

Why it was here now in his cell was beyond him. Perhaps not everything from the past could be properly erased, he told himself. The door of the cell was closed, locked, but there was still the sound of feet in the cell. Someone was in the cell with him. They didn't have a gentle air like Korra or Lin, or the belligerent hostility of any guard. No, Noatak soon learned what the nature of this visit was.

Qarnau.

"Noatak," the judge said flatly, strolling forward with his hands behind his back. "I wish I could say it's an honor to finally meet you in person."

Noatak tried to look up at him, but only found his eyes vaguely directed near his feet. "I truly wish I could say so as well. Qarnau, I presume?"

"Quite."

There was silence for a moment, until Qarnau casually gestured towards the mask. "Enjoying that? Surprised it didn't sink, what with the weight of all your cruel _failure_ dragging it down."

Noatak handled the mask, scowling at himself. "What I did indeed would've never worked, and it was unbelievably cruel. I can't believe I did all those things. I regret it all."

"Self-realization," Qarnau noted. "That's a start."

Noatak looked up, but not at the judge. So far nothing this man had done had appeared to be in the slightest interest of reforming him. "Qarnau," he said in thought. "That's a Water Tribe name."

"From my father, yes," Qarnau affirmed. "Southern. Times were tough, so he came here to Republic City, met a woman with equivalent aspirations, and started a family of themselves and I."

Noatak said nothing for a moment. That was a lot of new information being unexpectedly divulged to him. What to do with it? Nothing for now. "What were those aspirations?" he asked warily, genuinely curious.

"Fishing." The tone of the judge's voice was so utterly transparent.

Noatak nodded with a slight grimace. "You didn't appreciate their work, I take it."

"Oh, it was honest, and it put food on the table for us and others, and it taught me some lessons I'm never going to forget: hard work, dedication. But I wanted to do something more...influential. It took a lot of studying, and a lot of hard work, but I eventually found myself in a committee under Tarrlok in the Republic City council."

Noatak's eyes widened. He couldn't help but breathe out, "Tarrlok..."

"Ohhh," Qarnau cooed with false sympathy. "Yes. He was your brother, now, wasn't he? And so similar in so many ways. He was a skilled waterbender, he kidnapped Korra, oppressed nonbenders, framed you and your Equalists out of hate..." He chuckled. "Crime _flows_ through your family, doesn't it?"

For the first time in the visit, Noatak looked Qarnau in the eye, adamant but not disrespectful. "Yakone and Tarrlok are different men. I'm not them. Tarrlok regretted what he did as much as I do now. Yakone forced bloodbending onto Tarrlok and I, and I've since denied it, denied _him_. He's no more my father than Amon was a symbol for equality."

"Hm," Qarnau said, rubbing his jaw. "I see. And...where might they be now?"

Noatak grimaced, mournful of both. "Dead."

"Mm," Qarnau speculated, dropping his hand and returning it behind his back. "How fitting."

Noatak blinked, eyes narrowing in anger. "Y-You think they deserved to _die_ after what they did?"

"Seeing how much pain they caused, and seeing as that was _all_ they were ever going to cause...yes."

All words left Noatak in that moment. _This_ was the man that was keeping him imprisoned.

"Ironic, isn't it?" Qarnau went on. "You declared you were trying to spread equality, peace, when all you ever spread was pain, and _fear_ , which must not be too far off from what you are feeling in this room, alone. And not only is _that_ ironic, but the very thing you taught your blind followers is being used against you, daily, and _will_ be _every_ time Korra comes back to care for you."

Noatak stomped and stood in one fluid motion and threw the mask against the back wall of his cell. It didn't shatter, unfortunately. It only clattered to the floor, hollow, unsatisfying.

"Oh," Qarnau said, mildly surprised, but not scared. "Guess I might've touched a _nerve_ there."

Noatak shakily fell to his knees, unable to stand for long, unable to stand at all while chi-blocked. He slowly looked up at Qarnau, his brow creased, but not in any anger.

"What happened to you?" he asked quietly. "Why are you doing all this? Why _me_? What..." He looked down, then realized with wide eyes.

"Oh _no_ ," he said, looking back up at Qarnau. "W-What happened? Tell me, please. Who did I kill? Whose bending did I take? Who did I hurt? Your wife? Your _child_?"

Qarnau snorted, smothering the swell of empathy that Noatak had. "If only it were that simple for you. No, you didn't kill any friends or family of mine, and you didn't steal any bending of theirs' either. And even if you had, a simple 'sorry' wouldn't get you out of here. _No_ ," he said, his voice growing dangerously quiet, "I'm doing all this because your kind's been getting a free ride out of justice thanks to Korra. Her _embezzlement_ of Kuvira was daring, I admit, but _that_ , I promise you, is where it stops. It's well past high-time someone stepped in."

Noatak furrowed his brow, blinking. "Sh-she's the Avatar. She gave Kuvira and I new lives. She's _protecting_ the world. She's keeping _balance_."

"And criminals from getting what they deserve."

Those words burned in Noatak. This man... _How_ could this man...

Qarnau turned to walk out, his hands behind his back. "Now pick your friend back up. It seems like last night wasn't enough. You two still appear to have some things to discuss."

He left, and the door was slammed shut, locked. With Noatak left alone, he slowly looked over, at the...

He slowly sighed out his nose.

 _Fine, then. Maybe there_ are _some things I need to discuss._

As he trudged over on his knees, and picked up... _his_ mask, all he wished for was Korra to be there with him.

* * *

 **Notes:** A shorter chapter, but a dense one. The next will be longer, so I'd expect more of a wait on that one. This was originally gonna be the intro to that chapter, but there would be a time jump that didn't really flow well. Keeping all the horrible in one chapter is preferable too. Also, a little bit about Qarnau's past. Is he a sympathetic antagonist yet?

Jokes aside, things won't be looking up for anyone quite yet.


	7. Not Quite Isolation

_2 & A Half Months Ago..._

Korra had not slept well last night, or the night before that, or the one before that. She shuffled down Republic City's streets to the police department, squinting against the sunlight, rubbing her eyes, exhausted in every way possible. Spirits, she did _not_ miss this feeling.

It had been one whole week since her last visit with Noatak. Lin had finally convinced someone that she could be allowed to check up on him again. Happy as she was, her lack of sleep still showed.

A week. That amount of time had flown by for her during Kuvira's time in prison, but now it felt as long as when she had roamed the world after she was poisoned. She still wasn't completely certain why. Noatak wasn't betrayed by his family, drowning in guilt and depression, quite the opposite actually. Or, almost, rather. There were...complications.

Tenzin had kept true to his word, and traveled to the North Pole to meet with Maran. He was fully prepared to take her back to Republic City on Oogi, and have her come live with the rest of his family while Noatak was imprisoned, but poor Maran just couldn't bring herself to it, even with the promise of getting her a visit with Noatak. Tenzin had comforted her, and said that if she were to change her mind, she was still more than welcome. That was just another thing on Korra's mental list of things to tell Noatak, another thing that didn't help stop her from worrying.

 _He's doing_ fine _. Mako's said that Lin's said that, every time she's seen him. He doesn't even really_ need _to be visited, not like Kuvira was._

Kuvira. Korra _really_ wouldn't have minded seeing Kuvira.

A week might have been a while for her to wait now, but for everybody else, a week had been nothing. In that time, news of Noatak's arrest and imprisonment had spread like wildfire. He... _Amon_ , rather, was the talk of the city. He and his twisted agenda had almost been forgotten, but when the man that had nearly destroyed a city was reported to be alive, incarcerated in that very city, and that allegedly helped _save_ that city, he tended to spark a bit of controversy.

Mostly just blind hate.

Korra heard that name being spoken (spat, really) even as she walked. She resisted the urge to correct others as she passed by.

"I thought he was _dead_ ," a man nearby whispered in disbelief.

"He should be," his friend growled. "Everyone knows what he did. Jantai especially. We're lucky the Avatar gave him and all those others' bending back, or we might not even have him around. Why does Amon even have to wait to be _executed_? We all know that's what they're gonna do to him. It's what they should'a done to that _Kuvira_ chick."

"I think he should get executed by a firebender," another goaded with a smirk. "Poetic justice, y'know?"

Those were the last straws. Korra stopped her trudging, her darkened eyes tracking over towards the three men. They all stopped their laughing upon noticing her, recognizing her, which they promptly followed up with hurrying away.

Korra watched them run. She sighed. She wouldn't have attacked them, never. Nothing at all like what Bolin had dealt with yesterday.

Bless his heart, everyone agreed the least he could do was set up a few flyers around the city, to try to keep the public's opinion _somewhat_ neutral on Noatak. They all detailed his work with General Iroh, Kuvira, and Korra when the New Red Lotus was still around, that he knew them all personally. They all read at the top:

 _Noatak or Amon? A man or a monster?_

Bolin thought it was funny.

Not funny enough, though. While he was setting the last few up at the park, someone had come up to him. The man had started yelling at him, saying the usual "keep him in prison for life" and "publicly execute him" and all other manner of obscenities. Bolin had tried talking him down, reasoning with him, but the next thing he knew, the police had to get involved. Bolin had taken at least a punch to the face for Noatak, now bearing quite the black eye. He wanted Korra to let him know during her next visit, still wearing his nonchalant smile, as if nothing had happened. She promised it would be one of the first things she'd tell him.

Speaking of nothing, there had been no word from Raiko yet. Korra had begun to doubt that he'd even bothered to schedule a visit with Qarnau.

 _He_ is _the president, and it's only been a week. They're both busy people. A few more days can't hurt._

But what when days turned to weeks? Weeks to months? Months to...

 _It's_ not _going to come to that. It's not. It's...not._

Where on Earth did all of her optimism go?

Korra made her way into the police department, into the solitary wing. Guarding Noatak's cell door were four guards. They all regarded Korra flatly. "You're here to see the prisoner?" one asked.

" _Noatak_ ," Korra corrected. He had a name, didn't he? "Yes. How long can I have with him?"

"Half-hour at most, until the chi-blocking wears off." He and the other guards started getting into formation to barge into the cell. "Remember: aim for the neck first. Knock him down quickly."

"N-No!" Korra found herself pleading, stepping. "Don't! Please, you don't have to do this! Trust me! He's not going to break out or hurt anyone! Especially not me!"

"I'm sorry, Avatar," the guard said, "but protocol says—"

Korra scowled. "Protocol, _shmotocol_ ," she spat, air-slamming the guards backwards into the walls. She threw open the door as they steadied themselves, and walked right on inside, slamming the door shut behind her.

Noatak gasped, scrambling in his bed in fear.

"Whoa, whoa!" Korra eased. "Noatak, it's me! It's Korra! It's okay!"

She made the mistake of running towards him, instead of calmly walking up to him. It took him a frantic moment, but his panic subsided, and he finally recognized her.

"O-Oh," he said, shaken, still in his bed. "K-Korra...hey."

Korra smiled gently, stepping back. "Hey. Sorry. I didn't think you'd still be sleeping."

"Me neither," Noatak said, sighing. He looked behind Korra, not seeing any guards. "I...didn't think I'd get out of being chi-blocked."

"Me neither," Korra said, sighing. She wasn't sure if she should be mad with herself for what she just did, but immediately discarded those thoughts anyways. Noatak's well-being was more important than some arbitrary rule that kept him from hurting people that he would never even hurt in the first place. With him okay, she looked over and down, and—

The mask.

Korra's eyes widened. A tempest of emotions erupted within her. There was no denying what she saw. The mask of Amon, the face of the Equalist revolution, sitting there, on the floor near the back of Noatak's cell. She started stomping towards it in rage. " _What_ is _THAT_ doing here?!"

"N-No!" Noatak shouted.

Korra halted, brow furrowed. She looked behind herself at Noatak, shocked by his request.

His eyes went from the mask downward, almost looking guilty. "L...Leave it," he said quietly. "I don't know if Qarnau would let you take it anyways. It's...helping me think."

Korra blinked, her brow still furrowed in concern. "Are you sure?"

Noatak nodded.

Korra looked back at the mask. To think that that face had been in front of her's, threatening to steal her bending from her so many years ago, haunting her nightmares. Now it was rotten on the floor. "How is it _here_?"

"I'm afraid I don't know. And I fear I don't _wish_ to know."

A mystery for later, Korra decided. She sighed, turning back to Noatak. "Well...Lin got me some time to see you. Let's use it."

"Agreed," Noatak said as he shifted in his bed, still wrapped in his blanket.

Korra walked over to the table to pull up one of the chairs, but stopped. She looked at Noatak. He almost seemed to be...having trouble, getting out of bed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said with a nod, sitting on the edge of his bed, wrapping his blanket around himself better. "I'm just...rather cold."

"O-Oh," Korra said, surprised and slightly confused. "Isn't this place heated?"

"I thought so," Noatak said with a shrug. "You aren't cold?" He scoffed with a smirk. "No, of course not. You're a stalwart Water Tribe native _and_ a firebender."

Korra smirked. "Sorry for being genetically superior."

Noatak chuckled and stood, walking over to the table. He sat down in one of the chairs, warmly wrapped in his blanket. How much more civilized this visit seemed than the last. And all it took was _not_ brutalizing Noatak.

"So," Korra said with a happy sigh, settling down in her chair across from him, "how are you doing?"

"Much better than I thought I would be at this point," Noatak said with an honest, yet somewhat tired-looking smile. "The food is fine, though this place _could_ stand to use some more forms of entertainment."

"Have you asked Lin for some books or something? A radio?"

"I've let her know that I could use both. She's looking into it." Noatak paused. "How are _you_ doing?"

Korra sighed, rubbing her arm. "Worrying, all the time. It's hurting my sleep again."

"It shows."

Korra looked up and raised a brow at him. Noatak's eyes widened. "Uhh," he stammered. "N-Not that you look... _bad_. Well, bad, but only in...um..."

"It's okay," Korra said with a tired chuckle. "I get it."

Noatak smirked, then looked down for a moment. "Did you meet with Qarnau?"

Korra sighed. "Yes. I'm...I'm sorry, I'm _so_ sorry, but I couldn't reason with him. He's not gonna budge on anything. He wants you in here until your trial, whenever _that_ is."

"So I see," Noatak said with a nod, a little subdued. "I can wait."

"You shouldn't _have_ to though," Korra said, shaking her head. "Your mother's worried sick. _I'm_ worried sick."

"I-Is she okay? She knows about me?"

"Yes. I went and told her myself. She's doing okay. Lin's seeing what she can do about getting her some visit time with you."

"Oh," Noatak sighed. "Good. Thank you." He looked down for a moment. "I'd...like to tell _you_ to stop worrying too."

"I can't help it," Korra said with a tired smile. "I don't think it'll get better until you're out of this place."

"If I am sleeping well, you should be too," Noatak said succinctly. "There's no need to worry. Were there, I'd tell Lin. I'm much more adjusted to this than Kuvira was, I'm sure."

"Okay," Korra said, looking down, trying to get that _through_ to herself. "Thanks." She went through her mental list of things to mention. "So...Bolin has a black eye."

"What? From who?"

"Some guy," Korra said with a shrug. "Bolin was standing up to others and telling them that you aren't a bad person, and someone started throwing punches at him."

"Oh," Noatak said. "I...suppose that's a...good thing?"

Korra chuckled. "Better that than getting it from a sparing match."

"Very," Noatak agreed. "What a man Bolin has become. Oh! I think you may want to know..." He glanced at the door, his voice growing quieter. "Qarnau came in and...spoke to me, a few days ago. I learned a few things about him."

"Really?" Korra asked, excitedly scooching up in her chair. This might've been just the break they needed. "Like what? Did you find out why he's doing all this?"

"Not really, no," Noatak said with a shake of his head, "unfortunately. Nothing _I_ did is what's causing him to do this to me. Well...not personally, directly. I never took his wife's bending or anything like that."

"He has a wife?" Korra asked, smirking.

"I...don't think so," Noatak said, a smirk briefly appearing on his face as well. "I didn't see any ring."

Korra smiled and crossed her arms. "Well look at you. Still sharp."

Noatak smiled back. "The first step of reasoning with someone: get to know them and their past, intimately. His father was from the Southern Water Tribe. He was the only son in a fisherman's family.

"Huh," Korra said with a pursed lip. "Humble beginnings."

"It's unfortunate that humility didn't carry over into his... _stronger_ personality traits. He studied for a long while, going from committee to committee, and..." Noatak looked up at Korra, his eyes wide. "He became one of _Tarrlok's_ associates."

"I...knew that," Korra said hesitantly.

"What? How?"

Korra was wary. "After you got arrested, Tenzin said he remembered Qarnau worked with Tarrlok."

"You knew this...and you didn't tell me?"

"I...Th-there was a lot going on. You got _arrested_! I needed to make sure you were okay over everything! I didn't think it was important!"

"He was my _brother_ , Korra!"

"What's it matter?!"

They both went silent for a moment, both smothering down their sudden irritation.

"I...I'm sorry," Korra apologized. "I...didn't realize it was such a big detail, especially for you. I don't think Tarrlok and Qarnau had any sort of relation outside of politics. They both hated Equalists. And..." Her gaze found its way to the mask, bitter. "I thought up until now Qarnau hated playing dirty."

"It's okay," Noatak said, nodding. "I forgive you. I...I just..."

"I know," Korra said sympathetically. "He was your brother." The only true family he had besides his mother and Lee.

They sat in silence for another long moment. Korra thought of what else that needed discussing. "Anything else you found out about Qarnau? Did you try to plead your case to him?"

Noatak sighed. "Nothing more. He seems untouchable. He never tried to understand what happened to Tarrlok and I. He's... _baffling_." He furrowed his brow in thought. "He said that...you're trying to stop criminals from getting what w...they deserve."

Korra furrowed her brow as well. "Yeah. He kept saying something like that when I went to go talk with him too. He thinks Kuvira should go back to prison, instead of being the Prime Minister. I mean...I guess I _have_ been stopping people from getting what they deserve. But that's the point! People like that totally deserve to be punished, but what's beating them down ever gonna teach them?"

Noatak gave an agreeing puff, rubbing his arm. "Nothing substantial."

His arm and shoulder peeked out from under his blanket as he did that. Korra found herself looking at his arm. He was surprisingly toned, despite exercising with handcuffs, in prison. Korra instantly forced down that thought, reminding herself that it'd only been a week. Still, it was nice to see that he was able to keep healthy. She also noticed...

Bruises. Deep, reddening bruises, all up his arm, both of them. And now that she looked more, bruises on his neck, his throat...

"Oh," she breathed, standing up, covering her mouth with her hand. " _Noatak_..."

Noatak glanced down, noticed his bruises were exposed too. He got up quickly, his blanket falling away as he took her arms. "K-Korra! I-It's okay! I've had worse, much worse." He forced a smile. "Remember my legs?"

Korra couldn't take her eyes off the bruising, horrified. "Th-they do this _every_ time they give you food?"

Noatak's forced smile faded. "Only sometimes. They...check up on me, at least once a day. Some sort of...evaluation, to see if I'm awake and moving like I should be."

Korra shook her head. How was this happening? It was only _chi-blocking_. "This...this isn't okay. They can't keep..."

They both found theirselves kneeling on the floor of the cell. The only place Korra could look was Noatak's bruises. What Kuvira had done wasn't _forced_ upon her like this. It was only part of an equally horrifying, but also disturbingly admirable attempt at relocation, a successful one too, something she desperately needed. Noatak didn't need to be relocated though. He just needed out. Well, so did Kuvira. That wasn't...They...

"How often do I have to come visit you?" Korra asked, looking back up. "I don't care what Qarnau says. Every week? Twice a week?"

Noatak shrugged, looking away. "As often as you can spare yourself, I suppose."

Korra felt her heart sink. "N-No! Don't say it like that! It's no trouble at all! I _owe_ this to you! I'll come visit you every _day_ if I have to!"

Noatak glanced back at Korra, but slowly looked away again. There was no misinterpreting what was happening to him. It was the same thing that happened to Kuvira. They were beating him down, and he was already believing he deserved it.

 _Qarnau...he has a_ lot _to answer for._

"I want to start teaching you how to meditate," Korra fervently insisted. "Please. It'd be good for you. It'd give you something to focus on, something constructive. The Spirit World's a nice place to relax too."

Noatak looked up, slowly nodding. "I was...starting to think about asking you to teach me myself, yes."

Amidst their talking, the cell door was opened. A guard moved into the doorway, firm and unmoving. Korra looked at him over her shoulder, and felt guilt grip her throat. She knew what that meant. She really wanted to stay longer, but her stay was blatantly far past welcome.

"I will," she promised Noatak. "Next time."

"Next time," he agreed.

Korra got up and stormed out of the cell. She brushed past three fearful guards.

#

The walk to Qarnau's office seemed to take half the time it'd taken Korra last time. The lady at the front desk was just as polite and helpful as before, though a little taken aback by the Avatar's barely-hidden rage. After a terse, "thanks," Korra stomped upstairs to Qarnau's office.

Indeed, there he was, minding his own business, though still managing to come across as arrogant and pretentious. His desk was gone, no small thanks to Korra, which was now instead replaced with a measly fold-out card table. Qarnau nonetheless stood behind it, working and sorting through papers like any other day.

"Qar- _nau_!" Korra yelled, storming in.

"Ho there, Avatar," he said without fear, not looking up at her immediately. "You already broke my _first_ desk. It took me longer than I'd like to comfortably admit to find this replacement."

"You deserve it," she spat. "It fits your personality."

Qarnau paused, looking up at her with a smile. "Oh, _my_. Where did _this_ come from?"

Korra didn't share his amusement. "No jokes, no garbage. You got a lot to explain, _now_."

Qarnau sighed, setting his papers down. "Very well. I suppose I owe you as much."

Korra inhaled deeply, for breath, but mostly to give her a second to straighten out her thoughts before she spoke. "What's with the mask? Why did you give that to Noatak? How is that justice?"

Qarnau took a seat at his "desk," sighing with a smile. "I gave him something to... _reflect_ on."

"What you ' _gave_ ' him was a...a _demon_ from his past! How did you even get it?"

"They kept it in storage for 'history's sake,'" Qarnau said with disgust. "Cursed scholars. I wanted it _burned_ , but...I think this is a more useful use for it."

"It's _cruel_."

"It's not hurting him, is it?" Qarnau asked. "Harming him? Not denying him anything like food, a bed? No?"

Korra scowled. Despite her and Noatak both having experiences with this man, there really was no perceiving him. "How are you doing all this? All this behind-the-scenes stuff?"

Qarnau hesitated to reply. "I fear you are going to have to be a bit more specific."

"Getting the mask. Getting it _into_ his cell. Baning me from being able to visit him in prison in the first place. Convincing Raiko to let you pummel him like he has no rights."

"Ah," Qarnau breathed quietly. He leaned forward, deliberately picking a folder off the card-table to begin perusing. "Knowing the right people..." He slowly looked back up at Korra. "And nothing short of proper diplomacy."

"There's nothing 'proper' about what you're doing to him. This is...This is almost as bad as the revolution!"

" _Hardly_ as bad as the revolution. This is _legal_. Judgment, really."

"Who are _you_ to pass judgment?"

"Um..." Qarnau curtly tapped his chest with two fingers. "Judge."

"That doesn't mean that what you're doing to Noatak is _okay_ ," Korra said with an outstretched arm. "The chi-blocking, the arrest for a crime that happened _years_ ago, the isolation. It's too much!"

"If you think so badly that he is lonely," Qarnau said, "I could put you in a cell right next to his. You may deserve it, after all. You did _assault_ the guards." As Korra retracted, he chuckled without a smile, adding, "Never _could_ control your temper, could you, Korra?"

The guard that wasn't there when she left, he must've gone and radioed Qarnau or something. There were four of them when she first arrived. Did Korra _really_ think that she'd be able to keep Noatak out of the protocols by _attacking_ the guards?

The word "audacity" crept back into her mind.

Korra looked down, closing her eyes. She could hate herself later. "Let me take his bending," she pleaded, looking back up. "Please. I've been practicing, and I think I'm finally ready to—"

"You've been _taking_ people's bending?"

"N...No! Of course not! I've just been working through the steps, finding the mindset I need, the—"

"Balance and chi and energy and all that, yes," Qarnau dismissed. "And _no_ , you _can't_ take his bending."

Korra nearly felt fire flicker at her fingertips. "Why _not_?!"

"Because you don't _need_ to."

"He won't be able to hurt anyone that way! Even if he _would_ hurt anyone!"

"Bending or not," Qarnau said, not raising his voice to the degree that Korra was, "he's still one of the world's most feared martial artists. Chi-blocking isn't the sort of training you just _lose_. We have to take every precaution with him."

Korra faltered for a moment. She almost admitted that he had a point. "It's...it's too much. You're going to far with him. Nothing like this was ever done to Kuvira. Not on a regular basis."

"Because you can't deprive someone of _water_ and _blood_. Earth and metal is another plain entirely. This is the next best alternative, believe me."

"He's _bruising_ over!"

"And you should be grateful that's _all_ that's happening to him!" Qarnau shouted. "I could've done far worse things to a _psychic bloodbender_. You're both lucky I didn't spring for a straitjacket, or around-the-clock chi-blocking, resulting in him being forced into some near- _vegetative_ state!"

Korra startled, taking a step back in shock. He'd _really_ considered all the different ways he could've incapacitated Noatak.

Qarnau sighed with closed eyes, taking a moment to go calm. "I could've been far harsher with him, is my point, Avatar. I'm trying to allow him _some_ freedom of movement."

Korra nearly had nothing more to say. There _was_ no reasoning with this man.

"Oh," Qarnau said, almost getting excited. "I almost forgot." He reached for a book on the table, flipping to one of the many bookmarks in it. "I believe I have that definition of 'justice' you asked for. Let's see...Administration of law. Passing judgment. 'Doing the right thing.' The—"

"Why are you leaving out that part about fair, equal treatment?" Korra asked bitterly.

Qarnau slapped the book shut. " _Equal_ ," he snarled, looking up. "Now _there's_ a word your friend is rather fond of, now, isn't he?"

Korra found herself at a loss for words. She could only humbly relay the simple truth. "Noatak only wanted everyone to be treated the same."

"Then why didn't he kidnap nonbenders, tearing _their_ families and lively-hoods apart?"

Korra hesitated, thinking back. "In the long run, it _did_ hurt nonbenders. I'm never going to forget that woman with her child, crying out that I'm the nonbenders' Avatar too."

Qarnau raised a brow. "What are you trying to prove here, Avatar? That what Noatak did was...horrible, cruel, unjust...a _crime_?"

Korra hesitated again. She could only answer, "Yes."

"So you admit," Qarnau went on, "that his crimes are many, and unforgivable for the pain they've caused."

"No," Korra said with a shake of her head. "Nothing's unforgivable."

"But are his crimes _forgettable_?"

Korra admitted a short grunt. "They should be."

"Apparently, they aren't."

Korra sighed. "They are if you'd just _try_."

Qarnau slammed his book down against the table, all his haughty intelligence vanished as he snarled, "You want _me_ , after all the killing, _torture_ , harm, and _scarring_ he's done, to just _forget_ about it."

" _Yes_!" Korra cried out. "That's all it takes!"

Silence hung in that office. For a moment, just a _moment_ , Korra felt she had finally gotten _something_ through to Qarnau.

He slowly looked up at her, his eyes just as hard as before, his perpetual frown stagnant. "Not quite, Avatar," he said, monotone. "Not quite at all."

He set the book aside, picking up his folder again. "Noatak's trial should take place in just under two months. I'll be the one to declare his sentence, of course. The press may even get involved." He looked Korra in the eye. "I can hardly wait."

Korra could only stare at Qarnau. She really wanted to say something, _anything_ to him. But no, there wasn't a person in the world he would listen to.

As Korra walked out of his office, a few words boiled in her mind: audacious, naive, immature, and one that she thought she was done hearing from herself three months ago...

Failure.

#

"So you'll be able to make it in a week?" Asami asked with a smile. She lounged at her desk in her Future Industries CEO office, twirling the radio's microphone cord around a single finger.

A gentle chuckle answered from the other end. _"Maybe a week, maybe two, maybe three. I'm still not certain yet. It depends how quickly we sort this out. Hopefully sooner than later."_

"Are you all going to be able to come?"

 _"I don't think so, not this time. This is business."_ She paused, then added, _"Very important, very_ personal _business. Once we help Noatak, then we'll all be able to visit together. Paperwork and politics aren't what I'd consider terribly fun activities for friends or family."_

"Either way," Asami said, "we'll all be looking forward to it. Korra especially, I'm sure."

Another chuckle. _"Korra especially for sure. See you then."_

"See you then," Asami returned with a smile, before hanging up the radio mic.

She stood, and looked out of her office window. Her smile gradually started to fade. She knew first-hand how bad Korra would be beating herself up over Noatak, but that would change soon. There was some hope on the way.

* * *

 **Notes:** Man I hate writing this. Poor Noatak. Poor Korra. Why did I make Qarnau so Qarnau? Are things getting better or worse? I'm not sure anymore. At least _super polite mystery person_ is finally getting into the mix! Next chapter, definitely!


	8. A Little Assistance

_7 Days Ago..._

"But that's not even the worst part!" Korra said as she sat on Tenzin's couch, exasperated. "I mean, I've dealt with jerks and unreasonable people before, but with Qarnau...we can't seem to find any _real_ reason for why he's doing all this!"

"Oh," she said from behind Korra, sitting at the table, calmly sorting through paperwork. "That _is_ a bit of an issue."

A bit of an issue was right. Despite her ranting, Korra actually had few words for recent happenings.

Spirits, where to start?

Noatak. He was still in prison, still in that same cell, still getting chi-blocked and hand-cuffed, all for almost three months now. When his trial was exactly was still yet to be determined. Korra couldn't help but think Qarnau was doing that on purpose, just to get to her. The joke was on him however, because her worrying had finally seemed to dwindle. Now she was just sad, sad that Noatak was still in there, sad that they couldn't get him out.

After her last... _incursion_ with the prison guards, Qarnau had made it explicitly clear that if Korra wanted to keep visiting Noatak, she had to let him get chi-blocked, and that if she were to try to save him from the protocols again, she would be subject to immediate incarceration. She was told this startling news for the first time by the guards themselves in front of Noatak's cell.

Conflicted and unsure, Korra put her fist against the cell door, listening to the other side. "Noatak? Are you okay with that?"

After a long moment, his voice humbly answered, "Yes. It's only chi-blocking."

And so he was, and Qarnau's cruel cycle of petty revenge continued.

Not that solitary was all bad for Noatak. It, surprisingly, was going fairly well for him. He and Lin seemed to be getting along swimmingly, her seeming to visit him as often as possible, almost. Whenever Korra asked Noatak about her, a smile graced his face as he proceeded to make some polite remark about her almost motherly straightforwardness. Solitary wasn't really solitary when you had people there caring for you like they were. Korra found that was enough to make her smile too.

She had been teaching him how to meditate with every visit for a while now, something Noatak took to with both hesitance and quiet eagerness. It was a simple process, but unexplainable to perfect. He'd gotten the calm, serene peace the mind needed to be able to give up the spirit fairly easily, something that waterbenders were typically excelled at, but the actual giving up of the spirit...that was part where Noatak was having trouble. His biggest lie as Amon was apparently true in being a lie. It wasn't that he _didn't_ want to enter the Spirit World...but, maybe...maybe he just really wasn't as at peace with prison as he thought he was.

The visits became routine, once a week, and they gradually turned more and more casual, as casual as a conversation with an incapacitated person could be. It almost felt like her visits with Kuvira, Korra realized one day as she sat across from Noatak. _Almost_ , even though an unexplainable odd nostalgia always choked her up whenever she first arrived. Why was a mystery to her, since she wasn't helping mold Noatak back into his former self, as he'd already done that himself years ago, with Tarrlok, with Lee. The subject of their conversations were still usually about his past though, where he had been in life, how that helped shape him now. Time flew by for them, which Korra resented. A half-hour was never enough. She always tried to leave early, before the chi-blocking wore off, to try to spare Noatak from being re-blocked. He was just as grateful and resentful of that as she was.

The visits themselves felt routine, but Qarnau still didn't seem to approve of what Korra was doing. Lin always narrowly found a way to let her keep visiting Noatak, despite whatever arbitrary hurdle the judge tried to dole.

One day, he almost won. Korra had walked up to the cell as usual, but the current shift of four guards there seemed rather uninviting upon seeing her.

"Avatar Korra?" one of them asked flatly. "What are you doing here?"

Korra stopped, confused. "I'm...here to check up on Noatak. Chief Beifong said I can. She got me cleared." She furrowed her brow in worry. "You haven't been notified or anything?"

They exchanged looks. "No," the first said. "We haven't. I'm sorry. I'm afraid now's not the time."

Saddened, Korra almost turned to walked away, until another guard spoke up, hesitant. "A-Actually, I... _did_ hear the Chief say something about her visiting him today. Not for long, but...she _is_ being allowed, today."

The guards looked at him in confusion, then exchanged looks with each other as they prepped to rush into the cell. "Huh," the first said. "I...Alright. Guess we can double-check after."

Korra furrowed her brow, and looked at the guard that had spoken up. He looked her in the eye, and smiled. Korra's eyes widened as she realized what he'd done for her, but kept quiet. She mouthed to him, " _Really_?"

He'd only shaken his head, still smiling.

Shocked, surprised that this man was willing to risk his position in the police department just to let her visit Noatak, Korra could only mouth a relieved "thank you" to him.

And he nodded, accepting of whatever would be done with him.

Just because one person was enlightened enough to see that Noatak was still a person, didn't mean that everyone else was. Whenever Noatak's trial was supposed to happen, it was creeping up, and the city was absolutely buzzing about it. He was the only subject of discussion on radio talk-shows. " _Amon: Unfair Equality._ " " _Amon: Hypocrite of the Highest Order._ " " _Amon: Justified or Just Plain Crazy?_ "

Misunderstood and misguided were more applicable terms, Korra constantly thought to herself. The thing that got under her skin the most was that they still kept calling him Amon. He had a name that was had been publicly shared, but it was never publicly acknowledged. Couldn't they just take a second to realize that?

No, they couldn't, and at this rate, they wouldn't. The press was too caught up scrambling for any information about Noatak. They'd even tried reaching President Raiko for an opinion, multiple times. He was keeping silent on the matter however, something Korra was fairly certain she was thankful for.

Finally, last week, Raiko had summoned her to his office. Korra wasn't sure if she should've felt happy or apprehensive about the vagueness of his request, but still went. He relayed to her, with much regret, that he'd finally met with Qarnau. Despite her initial flare of hope, the actual results were...less than sterling. It appeared that not the even the president of the United Republic could convince Qarnau that Noatak deserved some leeway.

Hopefully, that would change today.

"Oh," she said as she flipped a page, still listening to Korra's ranting as she multi-tasked.

"I know!" Korra said. "I just...He's _infuriating_! He just can't be reasoned with. I... _hate_ him!"

Those last words slipped out far more easily than they should've, almost seeming to echo in Tenzin's living room.

She tucked a paper back into her folder, and then closed it softly. "Korra," she said gently, walking up, "what did you tell Tenzin at the Varricks' wedding?" She sat down next to her on the couch. "You went through all that hardship, so you could learn to be more compassionate..."

"Even to people like Kuvira," Korra finished the sentence with realization.

Kuvira smiled warmly, her hand on Korra's shoulder. "Even to people like me."

After a moment of thought, Korra looked up at her, smiling back. "You're right. He's human too. He has to have a reason. We just gotta keep looking for it. Thanks, Kuvira. I'm glad I got you all to keep me grounded." She smirked sheepishly. "Sorry for having to vent at you first thing."

"No, no," Kuvira chuckled, shaking her head. "It's fine. I understand. Better to get it all out as soon as possible, I suppose." She stood up with a sigh. "I can't imagine how long you've been holding this in. You're frustrated, understandably so."

"Yeah," Korra said, nodding. "I am." She still sat on the couch, sighing, feeling better, but not just because Kuvira was there. She pursed her lips. "So...how's the Earth Kingdom doing?"

"You haven't been keeping up on the news yourself?"

"Well," Korra said with a smirk, "I've been kinda busy lately, and it'd be good to hear it from you, y'know, since you're the girl in charge of it all."

Kuvira smiled and sighed. "Well, let's see...in layman's terms, poverty and crime are at their all-time lows, all railways are fully usable again, and aside from the more rural farming villages, all towns and cities are structurally sound."

"Wow," Korra said. "Awesome! You and Parliament aren't still doing all those packages and stuff?"

"Nope," Kuvira answered with a humble sigh. "I feel those were the last of them. I'm just glad it took half the time we all predicted it would. Still, it _is_ the Earth Kingdom, the largest nation in the world. There's always new problems that could keep popping up. I'm still surprised when I make it back home for dinner."

"I assume Baatar is the one that cooks now," Korra said with a smirk.

Kuvira couldn't help but smirk as well. She haughtily raised her head and a brow. "He actually happens to be a very good cook." Her smirk melted into a knowing smile. "Better than you or I ever were."

Korra laughed. "I'm pretty sure _anyone_ could cook better than us." She sighed at the memory, many memories. "How're the kids?"

"Wonderful," Kuvira said, lighting up like the sun at their mention. "Just wonderful. They've been asking when we can all come visit you guys again. Oh they were so disappointed that they couldn't come with me. They can't wait to meet _Aunt 'Sami_." She chuckled with closed eyes. "They hardly know her and they already love her."

Korra smirked. "Who wouldn't? I did."

Kuvira raised a brow, then smiled. "Grateful for every relationship you've been through."

"Even the non-romantic ones," Korra said with a smile, her leg casually pulled up to her chest.

"Oh," Kuvira remembered. "I thought you'd like to hear: Arnav sent a letter the other day. He said he finally got a pact signed and passed by the warden to allow outdoor privileges to all solitary inmates. He's been pushing it for a while now."

"Whoa," Korra said. "That's awesome! You think we inspired him to do that?"

"I think we inspired him in a lot of ways," Kuvira said. She gradually lost her smile, slowly looking back at Korra. "What's prison like for Noatak, exactly?"

Korra lost her smile too, looking at the floor. "Complete isolation, always has to wear hand-cuffs, has to get chi-blocked every time I visit him, and..." She looked up. "Qarnau gave him his mask."

"W-What?" Kuvira said. "Oh...oh no. I-Is...that even _legal_?"

"I don't know," Korra said with a shake of her head. "I doubt it. Noatak's...okay with it, for now, at least."

They were silent for a moment, both thinking about Noatak, both suddenly worrying.

"I'm gonna go visit him," Korra eventually said, getting up. "Bolin, Asami, and Mako are gonna be here soon."

Kuvira nodded. "Okay. Take your time. I'm sure he needs it."

#

Noatak was driven into the floor of his cell, chi-blocked in the same brutal (amateur, really) way he'd memorized every punch and point of. In seconds, he was left shivering against cold metal.

"Th-that's all?" he heaved with fake gusto, his face against the floor, the guards walking out of the cell. "That barely even _hurt_ this time..."

"Why do I get the feeling you're lying?" Korra said sadly, walking in, wearing her coat today, the door being closed behind her.

Noatak shifted, almost sitting upright, wincing through clenched teeth. "It's not so much pain. It's just...numb, and...s-sore." He winced again. It didn't take a doctor to see that his shockingly noticeable bruises were the blatant cause of his discomfort.

Korra knelt down next to him, acting oddly gentle. "Here," she said, reaching within her coat as Noatak looked up. From it, she pulled, much to his surprise and fear:

A pouch of water.

Noatak's eyes widened as he saw it. It took everything in him to keep his voice at a whisper as he recoiled. " _K-Korra_!"

"Shhh," she whispered as well, bending some water out with one hand. "I'll do it fast. Just stay still."

Unable to move very far, though still managing to fidget like a child, Noatak remained still, letting Korra sooth the bruises on one side of his neck. He sighed, begrudgingly looking at the floor. "Your greatest rival's broken ribs are one thing, but _these_ are just _br_ —"

"Shut up and stay still. Let me do this." Korra sighed as she healed. "Spirits, you're acting like Kuvira did more and more."

"Maybe that's just the humility."

"Must be."

Korra finished her healing quickly, as promised. She only fully healed Noatak's shoulders and back, as his arms suddenly becoming bruiseless would be immediately noticed by the guards, but she did soothe the rest. The healing done, she snuck the pouch back inside her coat, with no one but them two noticing. Getting caught with water in his cell would've mean the worst for the both of them.

Noatak rolled his neck and shoulders, his eyes widening in renewed relief. "Oh. That _does_ feel much better. Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Korra said with a smile, taking him by his arms. "I fudged things up a little bit for Kuvira once and a while. I don't see why you're any different."

"Thank you," Noatak said again, smiling back as Korra helped him up and into one of the chairs. He sighed as he sat, exhausted.

Korra sat and sighed as well. She glanced over. The mask, empty but still seeming to emanate contempt, was left sitting in the corner of the cell. Fair enough. She wasn't about to blame Noatak for that. "So, how've you been doing?"

"Same as ever," he said. "Nothing outstanding to report, unfortunately." He looked over at a small pile of books on the floor. He usually read as he exercised. Extra stimulation. "I've been trying to...'read up' on all the infamous political figures I can find, and tried to relate myself to them, as you said to."

"And?"

"I can't seem to find any," Noatak said with a shake of his head. "The Fire Lords of the Hundred-Year War were how they were because of nepotistic ideals, the same could be said of Hou-Ting I suppose, Chin the Conquerer did nothing for me..." He smiled. "I feel I was one of your better rivals, better than even Kuvira was, in a way."

"Really?" Korra asked with a growing smirk. "How so?"

"Amon was _unique_. Territory wars and domination have always been issues. There hasn't been a revolution quite like the Equalist Revolution in any recent centuries it seems."

"You feel...proud of that?"

"Disgusted," Noatak spat, eyes downcast.

Korra looked at him, beginning to feel concerned. "Are...you sure you're feeling alright?"

Noatak didn't say anything for a moment, as if he were about to come up with a lie. But what would that do for him? He sighed, fiddling with his cuffs. "I've been feeling...incredibly guilty, as of late."

"O-Oh," Korra said in surprise. She thought for a moment. "You mean...you haven't _always_ felt guilty for what you did?"

"I..." Noatak struggled in exasperation. "I'm not sure. After you stopped me, it was anger that I failed, but also that I'd let myself go that far. After... _Tarrlok_...and Lee found me, then it was just...emptiness, like everything I was was a lie. Which, it _was_ , but...with Iroh and all you, I felt like I had purpose again, a true purpose. Everything just...fell away for me. But now that I'm here, stuck with with nothing to do, no one to help, nothing to work towards, I..."

"It's okay," Korra stopped him with gentle understanding. "I get it." She really did understand, but she found that she wasn't quite empathizing. She'd done a lot as Avatar, made a lot of mistakes, but guilt had never been an incredibly big issue for her. Definitely regret, but not an all-consuming "guilt" like Kuvira had. What to do...

"When did you start feeling so guilty?" she asked.

Noatak hesitated. "How long how I been in here again? Nearly three months?"

"Just about."

"Well...whenever it was that Qarnau visited me, gave me my mask."

Korra's brow furrowed in intensity. "Well no wonder. Don't listen to him. He's just trying to get under your skin. He wants you to suffer, not—"

" _No_ ," Noatak stopped her. "It's not him. I...Well...I feel guilty about myself. It's _me_ that this guilt is coming from. His words were cruel, but that's all."

Korra paused, realizing. "You're blaming yourself."

"I suppose that's it, yes."

Korra thought for a long moment. She wasn't sure if she should've kept delving into this problem, or move on to something else. "I'll be thinking and asking about this," she promised. "Maybe Lin knows a little something too, next time she comes in. Maybe she's got some advice. She always did for Kuvira."

"Yes," Noatak mumbled with no smile, looking down. "Perhaps she may."

#

 _Guilt...Huh..._

Korra found herself frowning in thought all the way back to Tenzin's home. Guilt. Why hadn't she or Noatak considered that until now? Or had he just not fully opened up to her? Did he not trust her with this?

Well, whatever the cause, Noatak was going to get out of prison very soon, and not have to waste away anymore...most likely. Then he could go back to living happily, guilt free.

Still, there was a persistent little niggle in the back of Korra's mind: was this _her_ fault? She'd helped Kuvira process all her guilt and regret mostly while in prison, but Noatak...he never really had a complete "awakening" like she did. He'd realized his wrongs, wanted to start over, stewed on that for ten years, then suddenly joined up with the military to take down terrorists. His tale wasn't quite the slow reformation that Kuvira had, so there was room for an understandable account of bits and pieces missing.

Maybe Korra _did_ have something to be guilty of now.

She shook her head as she crossed the plaza. She could only remind herself again that this was probably because of prison and Qarnau. She thought it all out for herself: Noatak _was_ going to be freed, soon, he _was_ going to go back to a normal healthy life, he would find some purpose along the way, and she'd be right there for him the whole time, just like with Kuvira.

She walked into Tenzin's front door, into the living room, and was greeted with the heart-warming sight of Kuvira and Asami sitting, Mako and Bolin standing, and all of them laughing together, with Tenzin chuckling to the side as well. She couldn't help but smile.

They all looked over at her as she walked in. "Hey!" Bolin said. "Korra's back!"

"Hey, guys," she greeted, walking up to them.

"How'd the visit go?" Asami asked.

"Pretty well," Korra said. "Noatak's..." How to put it? "He's kinda hit a bit of a rough patch looking back at all he's done, but he's still doing okay."

"O-Oh," Kuvira said with quiet worry. "A-Are you sure he's getting through it?"

"He will," Korra answered. "I'll be looking into it, and Lin's probably got something blunt to throw at him too."

Kuvira sighed in relief. "Good."

Korra looked around at everyone. She couldn't help but smile again. "It's...it's just so great to have all five of us back together again, finally."

"Yeah," Asami agreed. "We haven't had a full Team Avatar meet-up in a while."

"Wait," Korra said with a furrowed brow. "Kuvira's officially part of Team Avatar now?"

As Mako started scratching his neck and Kuvira started giggling, Bolin declared with exasperation, " _Gah_! _Yes_ , she is! We were discussing it while you were with Noatak! We finally got it, uh...What'd the word be, Kuvira?"

"Ratified?"

"Yeah! She is one hundred-percent, totally, officially stuck with us now. No take-backs."

"But," Korra said with a smirk and raised brow, "she's the Prime Minister. She's not always gonna be around."

"Neither are you!" Bolin scolded. "And _you're_ the Avatar!"

Tenzin chuckled. "Alright, alright. Whoever is or isn't around doesn't matter. If they're willing to help maintain balance, that should be good enough."

"Says the guy who's _not_ in Team Avatar!"

Tenzin raised a brow. "I'm the one who _taught_ the Avatar."

"Well we'll just have to check your credentials on that," Bolin stated with closed eyes and crossed arms. "Can't help but remember she always kept wanting a _change_ in her mentorship."

As Korra sheepishly rubbed her neck, Tenzin rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Regardless, I really think we should be getting down to business now. I'd hate to waste Kuvira's time."

"I wouldn't exactly call this a waste so far," Kuvira said with an appraising smirk.

"I suppose we _should_ get started," Mako said with a nod, everyone shaping up. "So, as we all know, Noatak's in prison, and Qarnau isn't going to let him out, not even after being talked to by both Korra _and_ Raiko. He can't be convinced by any of Noatak's friends or allies, so that leaves only one option: we gotta get the public involved. If we can convince _them_ that Noatak really is changed, that he doesn't deserve to stay in prison, Qarnau's not gonna have any good reason to keep him locked up anymore. And, who knows? If we really _do_ get the public stirred enough, they might actually demand for him to be released early."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and Mako went on. "So, the question we're all here to ask is: _what_ can we do to help Noatak's image?"

After a moment, Korra got a devious smirk. "We could try the pentapus thing."

Mako stopped and raised a brow. "I...Pentapus thing?"

Korra nodded behind her with crossed arms, cuing everyone to look at Kuvira, sitting primly on the couch. She was crossing one leg over the other, crossing her arms, and now thanks to Korra, blushing profusely. " _Korra_..."

"What?" Bolin asked. "What's the pentapus thing?"

Kuvira flinched, her eyes widening in brief panic. "Stop _saying_ it!"

Korra smiled. "Back after she'd just gotten out of prison, when we were trying to rebuild her image, I got some pentapi and stuck them to her face, her neck, stomach, everywhere really, took a picture of her, then sent the photo out to the local paper of the region we were in."

"Whoa, whoa, wait," Mako stopped her. " _Got_ some _pentapi_? H- _How_?"

Asami couldn't help but smother a smile at Kuvira's past predicament. "Why, exactly?"

"It was to show that Kuvira isn't at all a cruel unfeeling person," Korra said, "that she's down to Earth, that she's human too. I know it was a little, uh, _unorthodox_ , but..." She shrugged with a smirk. "It worked."

"Of _course_ it worked," Kuvira said bitterly. She held out her hand. "How in the world could anyone _possibly_ think that a woman giggling uncontrollably like a little girl could _possibly_ lead the Earth Kingdom?"

"Giggling?" Bolin asked.

Kuvira closed her eyes remorsefully, still sitting up straight with her head held high, though her false composure was completely overshadowed by her still profuse blushing. "They...tickled... _so_ _badly_."

"Of _course_ they did," Korra said, exasperated by the amount of times she'd had to explain why. "Because you tried _tearing_ them off first! They're just little guys! You have to be _gentle_ to get them to pop off! _You_ have to tickle _them_!"

Kuvira grumbled.

"Oh you big baby," Korra said with a smile. "It's not like anyone else but me saw that part. It helped people see you for who you really are."

"The Prime Minister doesn't need to be... _ticklish_."

"But she _does_ need to be humble and relatable. I really don't get why you're so mad. It was honestly one of the most effective things we did to help your image."

"It was completely infantile."

"Exactly! That was the point! It _worked_!"

Tenzin stroked his beard with closed eyes. "I...fear it is going to take a bit more than a pentapus or two to change people's... _Qarnau's_ mind, for that matter, about Noatak."

"Well," Mako said with speculation, "Korra _is_ onto something. _Something_ like what she did with Kuvira could work. Noatak's human: that's what people need to see."

Bolin thought for a moment, then remembered. "Asami, what was that idea you said you had when we were all last together?"

Asami exchanged a smile with Kuvira. "Why do you think Kuvira came to Republic City?"

"Because we're decent people?"

"I pulled some strings," Asami said, "and Kuvira, the Prime Minister of the Earth Kingdom herself, in the Earth Kingdom Embassy itself, is going to plead a speech to the public in Noatak's defense, and he's going to be right there with her."

For a moment, that sounded to everyone like a fairly feasible idea. "Um," Bolin said nervously. "I hate to sound like I'm taking Qarnau's side on this, but...how do we know people are gonna listen to what Kuvira has to say?"

"Look who you're talking about here," Mako said with smirk, pointing a thumb at Kuvira. "This is the chick that jumped off a roof to save Wu from being assassinated by one of _her_ own extremist supporters."

Kuvira nodded with a little smile. "Yes. And that was the most convincing thing I ever did to show people I'd changed. Seeing _me_ defend Noatak, people should at least start warming up to him." She looked at Tenzin. "What's the public opinion about me here again?"

"The large majority is actually rather fond of you," he relayed, "even after what happened. But of course, there's always going to be some that are, uh...not quite as fond of you."

"Yes," Kuvira said quietly, looking down and nodding in understanding. "Of course."

"So," Mako said, "assuming the public listens to what Kuvira has to say, that's still only one problem. We gotta get Qarnau's permission to allow Noatak _out_ his cell."

"Won't be a problem," Korra said with a smirk, putting her hands on her hips.

"Uhh," Bolin said. "Don't you barely have permission to get _into_ his cell?"

"Won't be a problem," Korra repeated, still smirking. She looked to Kuvira. "Kuvira, do you have an essay for that speech? I'm sure you've already written one."

"Well," she said, pulling out some papers, "it's not so much an essay. It's more along the lines of a well-thought-out rough draft at the moment."

"I'd _publish_ one of your rough drafts," Korra said with a confident smile. "We're golden."

#

Back to that same building, more friendly chit-chat with the secretary, up those stairs, and Korra found herself walking back into Qarnau's office, though much more confident in herself than those previous two visits. Happy, even.

There Qarnau sat as expected, behind a fine, brand-new desk. He'd finally gotten an actual replacement. Good for him. He was signing some document, until Korra's footsteps got his attention. His usual sour demeanor turned sourer, his perpetual frown tightening. He finished signing the paper, then set it aside. He sat in silence as he looked at Korra, irritably twirling his pen in one hand.

Korra walked up and nodded with a sincere, yet slightly sheepish smile, holding her arm. "Judge Qarnau," she greeted.

"Avatar Korra," he stated.

They were both silent for a moment. Korra looked at Qarnau's desk, and he looked at her, obviously not enjoying her company. Korra sighed, still holding her arm. "Look, I'm actually really sorry for what I did to your old desk. I like this new one, though. How much did it cost? It's really nice."

"Flattery and sucking-up already. My you _are_ desperate."

"No, not desperate. Just trying to be friendly."

Qarnau grunted.

Korra went to rub her neck. "You know, I finally realized what I should be asking you: with all this diplomacy, all this law, everything you do...what makes you think you're right?"

Qarnau blinked emotionlessly. "I could ask the same of you."

"I'm the Avatar. Keeping balance is my job."

"And _I'm_ doing _mine_."

"But how do you know you're doing it _right_?"

Qarnau gave a labored sigh. "I'll share my reasoning if you share yours."

Korra straightened up a little, surprised that she'd managed to get this far. She looked down, gathering the right words. "Because...when I first started out as Avatar, my gut instincts told me that fighting was the best way to fix my problems. But...fighting never stopped anything, not for good, anyways. I've come to realize that it's actually the opposite. Being gentle and kind is the only way to _really_ make something productive happen. If you keep retaliating fighting with more fighting, and hate...that's all there's ever gonna be."

Qarnau looked at Korra askance for a moment, as if he expected her to add on to what she'd said. When she didn't, confident with her answer, he retorted with a simple, "Quaint."

He set his pen down on his desk, sighing. "You may not think it, but I actually take little pleasure from this job, Avatar. I may appear to seem abrasive at times, but I'll have you know that it's for a very good reason, which we must always have if we are to do something. I'm not saying that playing a certain situation safer than normal won't lead to an unfavorable outcome, but as leaders, we cannot appear to be 'spineless.' There's a reason people like Chin and Ozai stayed in power for as long as they did. We, as people, have to uphold ourselves. We cannot stray from our own rules. We have to keep standards for ourselves, you see. If we _don't_ ," he spat, his voice growing cold, enunciated, biting, "we end up with imbeciles like Hou-Ting abusing power, vagrants like the Red Lotus going about on murder-sprees, and megalomanic _bigots_ like Kuvira doing both."

Korra had initially set up a little code-phrase that would cue Kuvira to walk into the room after being spoken, but the Prime Minister figured that _then_ was the best time to enter Qarnau's office herself.

And in Kuvira walked, wearing her robes and necklaces, her hands calmly behind her back. Qarnau's flaring eyes shot to her as she walked in. They quickly widened, all harshness and hate evaporating from his posture. "P...P-Prime Minster," he stammered.

Kuvira walked up next to Korra's right, still calm, her face devoid of any offended expression. "Hello, Judge Qarnau."

Qarnau glanced at Korra, who was currently a silent but visibly gleeful little ball of admiration, then back at Kuvira. "I'm," he said, gathering words, "surprised to see you here, and not with Parliament."

Kuvira nodded. "The council is very good about staving from major executive decisions while I'm away, which is seldom often."

"So I see..." Qarnau picked his pen back up, slowly twirling it in his fingers again. "So, then...what brings you here?"

Kuvira and Korra exchanged a look together. "We would like to have Noatak escorted to the Earth Kingdom Embassy. I'm going to plead a speech to the public there in his defense."

Qarnau raised a brow at her. "You think the public is going to listen to what you have to say?"

"At this point and time, the public will listen to anything anyone says about Noatak."

Qarnau wasn't sold. "Why does _he_ have to be there?"

"I'm hoping that he will be able to answer any spare questions others have for him. I doubt I can cover everything about him. He's lived a longer, harder life than me."

Qarnau narrowed his eyes. "And you believe... _you're_ the best choice to try to sway others on him?"

Without any hesitation, Kuvira answered, "I do."

Qarnau scoffed. "Do you really think _you're_ going to be able to change these peoples' minds? Half of your own _subjects_ don't even trust you after what you did."

Kuvira grimaced sadly, almost in hurt, her eyes falling to the floor and closing. "They are _not_ my subjects. They're citizens of the Earth Kingdom. I am painfully well-aware that there are some, _many_ people out there that still do not trust me, who never _will_ trust me."

She didn't have to look at Korra's proud smile for confidence. "But I cannot let that control me." She looked back up. "I have a life worth living now. Noatak deserves to have one too."

Qarnau rolled his eyes and sighed, almost smiling. "He _does_ have life, he just opted to have to live it out in a cell."

"No," Kuvira said sternly with a terse shake of her head. "He doesn't have life, not like that."

Qarnau blinked in shock, staring at the Prime Minister more focusedly for a moment, not having anticipated such a strong reaction from her. He looked down at his desktop for a moment, still twirling his pen. Finally, he sighed, and set his pen down.

"Alright," he said with a gracious wave, leaning back in his chair. "Fine. I shall have the guards escort him to the embassy for you. Say your speech, plead to your heart's content, let him talk for himself, whatever you wish. See what happens." He smirked. "I feel like I should say that I'm looking forward to watching you fail."

As Kuvira and Korra walked out the door together, the Avatar smiled honestly over her shoulder, saying, "And _I'm_ looking forward to watching you realize your mistakes."

 _She_ was the one that got in the last word that time.

* * *

 **Notes:** Hoooo boy. I might have lied a few chapters ago. _That_ might be my most favorite argument that I've written. Kuvira hittin' Qarnau with that passiveness like the wise beautiful reformed person she is. Things really are looking up now. Hope it stays that way.

 _Gosh_ Kuvira is such a wonderful overly-polite ray of sunshine.


	9. A New Perspective

_3 Days Ago..._

"No, no, it's great," Asami said with a smile, handing back the clipboard. "It's perfect. Everything's where it's supposed to be."

The man nodded, taking the clipboard. "Of course, Miss Sato. But, what about security?"

"It should be here soon. Detective Mako's making arrangements. I'll make sure it gets done. Thank you."

"Right you are, ma'am," the man said with another nod.

As he walked away, Asami turned and looked around, sighing as she casually held her arm. Indeed, the prep for Kuvira's speech was going very well. Outside the Earth Embassy, a stage was set up, with room for quite the crowd to look on. There was a podium for Kuvira for when she spoke, where she would hopefully help turn the tide in winning back Noatak's freedom. They could only hope for the best.

Kuvira, wearing her Prime Minister robes, and Korra walked up, taking all the decor in. "Looks nice!" Korra said, much more smiley than she'd been lately. "Everything's all set up?"

Asami nodded, unable to not share her smile. "Yep, just about. Mako's still getting security back-up from the police department here. He's got it under control."

"Good," Kuvira said with a little sigh. She looked around. "Where's Bolin? Is he not going to be here?"

"He's with Tenzin and Pema," Asami said. "They could use a little extra help right now. He...was also kind of worried that someone might recognize him and attack him again, for standing up for Noatak. He said that he'll be here in spirit, but 'not quite like Jinora would.'"

"Oh," Kuvira almost chuckled. "Oh, poor Bolin. I...don't want to blame him."

"You don't have to," Korra said, her arms crossed. "He stood up for the right thing even though he was scared. Once is enough."

"Not that it's stopping you," Kuvira said, smirking.

Korra looked at her, smirking back, though she couldn't quite bring herself to share Kuvira's amusement. "You're right here standing next to me. I'd say what I did was worth it. I'm not stopping now, not until Noatak's able to stand here with us too."

"That's what we're here for," Asami said, determined. "And that's what we're going to do."

"Very," Kuvira said with a nod. "Do you know how much of the press is going to be here?"

"Not really," Asami answered with a shake of her head. "I can only guess it's gonna be a lot. There's no limit on civilian attendees either."

"All the more reason for Mako to get that security," Korra said, arms still crossed.

The three of them started to hear some commotion from behind. They turned, seeing a sizable group of civilians and reporters both already starting to gather, cameras flashing.

"Almost show-time," Asami said with a nervous sigh.

Kuvira nodded. "I'll get ready. Let's hope this works."

"No," Korra said with quiet confidence, turning to walk away. "Not hope. This _will_ work. _Something_ will change because of this."

#

Noatak and Lin laughed together, sitting across from each other at the table in his cell. These little meetings of theirs were fairly normal occurrences, which was made easier by Lin having ways to keep the guards from guarding Noatak's cell. That also meant no chi-blocking for him, letting him sit and move by his own volition.

"Ohh my," he sighed, smiling as their laughter subsided. "I...had no idea. You and Tenzin have never struck me as..."

"Compatible?" Lin asked with a smirk and a raised brow, arms crossed.

"I suppose so, yes. I'm glad that you've both managed to find your own halves after that." He thought for a moment, then looked up. "I...want to thank you, Lin, for everything you've been doing. You and Korra are making this bearable for me. I can't imagine what this would be like if I were alone."

Lin gently returned his smile. "It's no problem at all. We owe this to you. Heck, at this point, if Zaheer or...even Unalaq were still around, Korra would be doing something like this for them too."

Noatak couldn't help but chuckle at that remark. "You're right. Korra. She's...so much more the Avatar than when we both first arrived in Republic City. And yet she's still so...I'm not sure if 'innocent' is exactly the right word..."

"Optimistic?"

"Something more like that, yes. Willing to help others despite what everyone has to say."

Lin smirked. "Yeah. She's been reminding me a lot of Su ever since she got better after the poison. Su started off kinda...bratty, but now...she'd do what Korra did for Kuvira ten times over, for anyone."

"Indeed," Noatak said with a nod. "Suyin's the kind of person I wish I had met when I ran away from home. Perhaps if I had found someone like her before I found Amon, I wouldn't have thought to start a revolution in the first place."

Lin looked down in thought for a moment. "Come to think of it, she was probably wandering the world around the same time you were."

So there _was_ the chance that Noatak could've never become Amon, that he didn't have to be in this cell right now. That prospect was saddening, a sadness he could feel sinking, pulling _down_ in his chest.

"I might be able to get her to come visit you, if you want."

But that sadness immediately evaporated. _Suyin_ Beifong. Suyin, the woman who built a city because she believed in and was the product of second chances. Someone who had dealt with unfavorable pasts. A new face. A different voice. Perhaps a...therapist, of sorts, for this guilt. Korra had yet to make any progress since her last visit, despite her giving her _all_ to find a previous Avatar or someone else to help.

Noatak looked up at Lin, and smiled. "I think I would like that."

Lin nodded and smiled as well. "I'll make it happen, I promise."

Perhaps, Noatak thought, something good _was_ to come out of him being imprisoned.

#

Korra smiled and sighed as she walked up the stairs. Boy, was there a lot that was going to happen today. But oddly, she felt ready for it. Antsy, even. Confidence hadn't been her strong suite lately. That slowly seemed to be changing.

She kept going through her mental list, reminding herself to not get lost in the simplicity of the plan: Kuvira would do her thing, and Korra would do _her_ thing, people would listen, things would be learned, people would change, and Noatak would be at least one step away from being freed. It really seemed easier than everyone had been making it out to be. Korra wasn't sure what everyone else was worrying about. It was perfect.

She was convinced everything was going to be fine, even as she walked into Qarnau's office. "Hey, Qarnau!" she greeted, bright and friendly.

Qarnau looked up at her from his desk, in the middle of paperwork as expected. He scoffed disgustedly at her unannounced company, dropping a folder down onto his desk with a frown. " _Korra_. Back so soon? Care to start yet _another_ impromptu argument?"

"No," Korra said, walking up, "not this time. I'm inviting you, actually."

"An invitation?" Qarnau inquired. "How...unexpected, to be coming from you." His curiosity vanished, alternatively being replaced with cynicism. "What is the _reason_ for this?"

"Nothing major. There's just two people I want you to meet."

"And who might these people be? Friends of yours?"

"Yep," Korra announced with a big, proud smile. "Ming Hua and Ghazan, of the Red Lotus."

Qarnau's expression and response to that statement were, unlike anything he'd ever demonstrated before, filled with the utmost concern and confusion:

"Weren't...they...killed?"

"Yep," Korra answered. "Completely murdered. But you can meet them both in the Spirit World with me. Today, preferably."

Qarnau sat in bewilderment for a long while, blinking with downward eyes and an open mouth. He was completely unaware that enlightened people's spirits were given the chance to stay in the Spirit World after their death. Lin's two cents about him not knowing much about the spirits before was getting proven more and more. Korra thought a biased, spiteful person like Qarnau would _want_ to study deeper into the things he hated.

Though still not certain what Korra's goal was, the judge finally shook off his confusion, and smiled in challenge. "Alright. I'll play your little game, Korra. _Noon_."

Korra smirked as she turned. Things were going _very_ well. "It's a date."

Qarnau made some kind of startled objecting grunt to that as she walked out of his office.

#

"Keep movin'," one of the guards spat.

Noatak grunted, stumbling forward as requested, barely keeping on his feet. The guards had not chi-blocked him completely as they usually did. Peculiar. They only did enough to block his bending and hinder most movements. He wore a confused expression as they gripped his collar and cuffed arms, thoroughly discombobulated.

Apparently, after a leery truck drive, they had arrived at the Earth Kingdom Embassy. He'd only been told so gruffly after asking, multiple times. Why? Why _here_? Why now? He had just started reading the book Korra had brought him about Guru Laghima, but now here he was, in the _Earth Kingdom Embassy_. Things were moving too fast for him. He'd tried getting a reason as to why he was being taken here from the guards, but couldn't. The only thing he'd received was the threat of more chi-blocking.

A little more trudging, and they suddenly forced Noatak down onto his knees. Were they taking him to meet someone? Why not just keep him in the cell, then? Was this...

No, it wasn't an execution. It couldn't be. If it were, Korra had promised she would be there with him. The thought was unsavory, somehow more so for her than for him, but he'd insisted they make plans for any and all possible outcomes, and she'd reluctantly agreed. He sensed one of the guards raise their hand to drive a jab in his neck to re-block him. Noatak flinched instinctively, preparing for the blow to fall.

But it never did.

"The chi-blocking will be unnecessary," a gentle, familiar voice suddenly said. "I'm confident that even if he _does_ try to escape or anything of the sort, I'll be able to restrain him."

The guard hesitated, easing up a bit, though they both still clutched Noatak's neck. "A-Are you sure? You...know he can _bloodbend_ , right? With his _mind_?"

Metal could be heard clicking on her person, a technique foreboding for those that would provoke her. "Trust me. He'd be incapacitated before he knew it. I know what I am doing. And I know him better than either of you."

The guard glanced from her to Noatak, not wanting to give her any back-talk, not that she would ever punish him for it. Eventually, they both released him, still wary. "Okay. Whatever you say, Prime Minister."

This couldn't be. Noatak looked up shakily, and his eyes widened in shock and relief. He could only breathe out, "K-Kuvira..."

Kuvira smiled her warm smile, gently reaching down to him. "Hello, Noatak."

Noatak looked around, confused. He eventually took her hand. "What...W-What are you doing here?"

"You have Asami to thank for this," she said, helping him onto his feet. "It was her idea. I'm going to plead a speech to the public in your defense. We think this might be the final step to getting you freed."

"W-What?" Noatak asked. "Y-You'd really...?"

"Of course," she said softly, smiling. "Korra would've done the same for me six years ago. She gave me my life back. You deserve to have yours back too."

Despite everyone showering him with kindness ever since he and Lee had revealed theirselves to them at Tenzin's, Noatak still found himself getting choked up at all the selflessness people had been showing him lately. "I...Th-thank you."

"You're very welcome," Kuvira said, smiling warmly.

She took a glance behind her. Noatak looked as well, starting to hear what sounded like a crowd. He couldn't help but feel especially apprehensive, not having interacted with multiple people at once since his imprisonment.

"I'm sorry that this is all so sudden for you," Kuvira said, starting to gently lead him by his arms. "I've been told you never know exactly what Qarnau's thinking or going to plan with you."

"Whatever's convenient for him," Noatak answered, with no mirth or sarcasm.

Kuvira sighed quietly. "I'd say I can _only_ imagine..."

They walked from the backstage of the Earth Embassy, out onto the stage in the plaza. Noatak squinted, as the sun was beaming down quite brightly, a rather harsh change in lighting for him, but it didn't stop there.

Cameras. Cameras flashing. Reporters. Civilians. Police officers keeping a perimeter. All the clamor in Republic City. He heard each and every one of them.

"Amon!"

" _Amon_!"

"AMON!"

"Hey! Stand back!"

"Amon! Is it true that you can bloodbend with just your mind?!"

"Do you or do you not have any affiliations with the Red Lotus?!"

"Was the revolution _funded_ by the Red Lotus?!"

"I said stay _back_!"

Noatak felt Kuvira grip his arm tighter. "It's okay," she said. "No one's going to hurt you. We won't let them."

He was grateful for her assurance, but Noatak still sighed. "That's not what I fear..."

"Noatak!"

What a change. Someone who knew his actual name. And that _voice_. Noatak looked with wide eyes, not expecting her to be there. "A-Asami."

Asami walked up to him, just as hesitant and caring as Kuvira, though a little more peppy. She looked him up and down, all the crowd's commotion seeming to fade away. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You look a little...frazzled. Wait. Sorry. You've been in prison for almost month. Who wouldn't look a little frazzled?"

Noatak normally would've laughed, but now only nodded. "I'm alright, thank you. Y- _You_ thought to do all this?"

Asami shrugged humbly, gesturing towards Kuvira. "It was kind of a collaboration between me and Kuvira both, but yeah, I made this happen."

Noatak kept running out of words. "Th-thank you, so much."

Asami smiled and nodded. "Of course. It's the least of what I should've done."

Kuvira let Asami take Noatak, keeping him standing. "We'll make this right for you," the Prime Minister promised, bearing that always calm composure of hers. "I know we will."

Noatak nodded, grateful, and she nodded back. She walked to the podium, starting to discuss something with one of the security officers.

"Come on," Asami said gently. "Let's get you to a chair."

"Agreed," Noatak said. She led him onto the stage further, but he suddenly grunted in pain, stumbling to his knees.

"W-Whoa," Asami said worriedly, still holding him. "Are you okay?"

Noatak staved the pains down. "I-I'm fine. I'm...just a little weak yet from the chi-blocking is all." He almost got up, but didn't find the strength. He almost felt he didn't deserve to be standing anyways. "This'll make me look more humble too, I'm sure."

Asami wore a creased brow at that request, opposed, but still left him as he was. "Okay."

With Noatak kneeling relatively in the middle of the stage, near Kuvira's podium, Asami walked somewhere behind him, taking a seat. Noatak looked out at all the people, expecting to see hate and fear in their eyes. He didn't see much of that, less than he expected, actually. No one in the crowd appeared to have an air of gentle curiosity however.

"Psst," Mako's voice whispered. "Hey. You alright?"

Noatak looked behind himself in surprise, seeing Mako walking up next to Asami. The surprises did not stop for him today. "B-Better with you all here." He glanced behind Mako. "W-Where's Korra? And Bolin?"

"She's doing something with Qarnau," Mako said. "Her idea. And he's with Tenzin."

"It's part of the plan," Asami reassured. "Kuvira's gonna help the public look at you the right way, and Korra's gonna help Qarnau look at you the right way."

Noatak truly had no words. He could only sigh in apprehension. He wanted Korra to be there with them, but if this plan of theirs were to work in one fell swoop, her place was with Qarnau.

Mako straightened up, his hands behind his back as he looked out over the crowd, scanning and analyzing every person. He met eyes with a few officers, exchanging nods that everything was secure. They could only hope everything went well.

It all felt like it would, especially as soon as Kuvira started talking.

"I would like to take a moment to welcome you all here today," she said, speaking into the many microphones on the podium, looking out at the sea of civilians and reporters, cameras still flashing. "It is an honor to be able to stand here before you, as Prime Minister, a title that I am humbled to have, and, before I was given it, was fearful of having. I know that there are some out there...perhaps even some of you standing in this very crowd, that do not think I deserve this position, that think I did everything a Prime Minister shouldn't do in the past."

She paused, her brow creased sadly. "I can only agree. There are things I did as the Great Uniter that can never be fixed, the pain I caused, the people I hurt. But the things that _were_ fixable, I hope you can come to see that they _have_ been fixed, and improved beyond what they initially were. That was my original goal as Great Uniter, before I lost myself in revenge and power: to rebuild, to unite, to make the nation I was a part of flourish. As Prime Minister, I've been able to do that again, under considerate supervision and alongside people that I don't deserve to know."

She breathed in, her hand on some papers. "But I did not come here to Republic City to plead my case. I came here to plead the case of another man, someone who has had a troubled, misguided past like me: an ally, a partner..." She smiled at Noatak. "A friend. Like the world knows me as the Great Uniter, it knows this man as Amon, the face of the Equalist Revolution. But that is just the face the world chooses to acknowledge him as, because that is all they know. His name is Noatak, and there are many reasons why he should be called such. I'd like to share those reasons with you now..."

#

"So," Korra asked, "have you ever been here before?"

Qarnau sighed as he looked around, his hands behind his back as they strolled through the green plains of the Spirit World. "Hmm...Can't say I have. I've never had much interest in the spirits."

"Really?" Korra asked, lightly sarcastic. "I never noticed."

Qarnau snorted. "They leave us alone if we leave _them_ alone. I find that's all the relation we need."

"Funny," Korra said with a smile. "You sound a bit like Kuvira used to."

"What is it with you trying to find everyone's foil?" Qarnau snapped, increasingly annoyed.

Korra shrugged. "Sometimes seeing that someone's a bit like someone else can help you understand them better. It's what helped me help Kuvira." She smirked, realizing. "You talk fancy just like her too."

Qarnau groaned.

They walked on for a few more minutes, not conversing much more after that exchange. Korra preferred it that way, partly so that she could admire the scenery, but more so, she didn't want to spoil anything for Qarnau. She wanted to keep this as natural as possible.

Speaking of natural, she couldn't help but smirk at Qarnau's reaction every time a spirit passed them by: a sort of wide-eyed little jump one might make because of a stray cat skittering by. She couldn't blame him, as he'd never interacted with any spirits before, but none of them were big, or even remotely threatening. They were mostly just cute. A few were admittedly on the weirder side, but none wanted to harm either of them.

Funny, Korra thought, that that wasn't going to be Qarnau's _only_ exposure to something he didn't understand today.

They reached where Korra had arranged the meet-up: a lush, little oasis area, peppered with trees and bushes, surrounded by streams and small mountains carrying waterfalls. What better place for an awakening than Korra's first awakening? Well, _Wan's_ awakening, technically.

There, sat on top of a rock, was Ming-Hua, and standing next to her, was Ghazan. They played with a few of the spirits that were floating and hopping around, cooing and chirping. Korra couldn't help but smile. Those two looked so much more at peace and balanced than she had ever hoped they could be, allies she thought she'd never get to have. "Hey, Ghazan!" she called as she and Qarnau walked closer. "Hey, Ming-Hua!"

The spirits flew away at her voice in gentle commotion. Ghazan and Ming-Hua looked over to see the two of them walking up. Ming-Hua nodded with a little smile. "Hey, Korra."

"Korra!" Ghazan said, grinning. "You sure took your sweet time gettin' here!"

"Sorry," Korra apologized, Qarnau warily stopped behind her. "I'm just not always in the Spirit World to enjoy it like you two. You aren't getting sick of it yet?"

"Sick of it?" Ghazan said. "Not in a thousand years! This place is as beautiful as it is big!"

"You should really be meditating here more often," Ming-Hua said, looking into the distance and sighing. "I swear it never ends."

"I don't think it does," Korra joked in truth.

Ghazan chuckled. "Yeah. But she's right. I'm sure you could use a little more meditation too. I know _I_ would."

"I'll keep it in mind," Korra said with a nod and a smile. "Thanks for reminding me."

Ghazan returned the smile and nod. He looked towards Qarnau, taking a moment to size him up. "So," he said, walking towards him, "you're Qarnau. Korra's had a lot to... _vent_ about you." He held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Qarnau disgruntledly shook his hand. "Pleasure's all yours." He gestured at Ming-Hua. "So, you and your...girlfriend here are a part of the Red Lotus?"

"Uhh," Ming-Hua said. "W- _Were_."

Qarnau admitted a nod at that honest correction. "Alright, fine, _were_. But does that change the fact that you both worked for the organization that single-handedly caused the most pain and death and chaos in the world since the Hundred-Year War? And not only that, but resulted in the murder of the Earth Queen, sparking the most horrendous dictator regime that's been seen in this entire _century_?"

Ghazan blinked and exchanged a worried look with Ming-Hua. "Wow," he said. "When you say it all back-to-back like that, I...kinda feel like a jerk."

Qarnau scoffed. "I should hope so!"

"Hey, hey," Ghazan said as Korra backed away. "Don't start throwing blame around yet. You don't even know our full story."

"What's there to know? You were _terrorists_."

"Oh," Ghazan sarcastically recalled, rubbing his jaw. "Yeah, we were. Pretty sure our goal was to wipe out all forms of government."

"So you would just _love_ to murder me where I stand, wouldn't you?" Qarnau goaded. "A person in power?"

"Oh, sure," Ghazan admitted. "I _would_...a couple a' months ago. But I'm better than that now."

"Yeah," Ming-Hua agreed. "And we really couldn't attack you or bend anything anyways, since we're both...uh..." She looked at Korra. " _Spirits_?"

Korra nodded reluctantly, her arms folded. "Y-Yeah, technically."

"So you _would_ attack me," Qarnau surmised.

"N-No," Ming-Hua said. "That's not what I meant at all."

"Then you shouldn't have stated such in the first place. Past agendas like that should _not_ be the subject of _jokes_."

"You seem like _you_ could stand to use a joke," Ghazan said.

"People _died_ because of you two and your organization," Qarnau accused, "and worse. Though on second thought, 'organization' is far too generous a term for whatever it is you...' _commanded_.'"

"Well what do you want _us_ to do about it, huh?" Ghazan asked. "Bring all our victims back from the dead?"

"That'd be a good start, though I don't see it being very probable. Life sentences would be preferred, though I don't believe there are any jails in these parts," he said, glancing over with a raised brow, "are there, Korra?"

"Yeah," Ghazan said warily, rubbing his chin. "See, we've tried prison before. Didn't fly for us."

"Good," Qarnau said. "It _shouldn't_ 'fly' for you. It was your punishment for all the pain you caused and _wanted_ to cause."

"What's with you and punishment?" Ghazan asked, brow furrowed and arms crossed. "Did you have a bad childhood? 'Cause, hey, pal, been there too."

"My youth was quite fine, thank you. An abusive father or a negligent mother doesn't justify terrorism."

"I know," Ghazan said, sobered. "But it's what pushed me to thinking that it did. Dad did nothing _but_ punish me, and that never taught my sister or me anything." His mouth twitched. "'Cept that fists hurt."

"Oooh," Qarnau crooned with a smirk. "Playing the _victim_ card."

"Well," Ghazan said, looking back at Ming-Hua, "Ming and me are, terrorist or not. We both lost our families."

"That doesn't justify murder on a national scale. Miss Sato lost her mother and father both, but now she's the successful owner of her family's business. Mako and Bolin lost their parents as well, yet one's a detective and the other is...doing whatever it is he does. Something in the military?"

"Huh. Sounds like someone's been doing research." Ghazan raised a brow. "Or is that _stalking_?"

Qarnau scoffed. "Please, it's hardly as if Korra and her friends' lives are out of the public eye." He looked down with a furrowed brow, genuinely contemplating. "Unlike Kuvira's children. She's rather good about keeping her family out of politics like that. Though that _is_ her _only_ redeeming quality I've observed thus far."

"Hey," Ghazan said with an annoyed lilt, brow furrowed. "Kuvira's a good person. Didn't she learn from her mistakes? Didn't she fix the Earth Kingdom? _Twice_?"

"One of those times was during a power-lusting dictator regime, but certainly, she's demonstrated she knows how to manipulate a nation for her own agenda."

" _Fix_."

"Oh what- _ever_ it is she or you did to the Earth Kingdom doesn't ameliorate the lives you've ruined or change the fact that you should be rotting away for it!"

"Why should we be _rotting_ when we could be fixing our mistakes or _learning_ to _help_ people?! Don't we all do bad things?! Don't 'bad guys' like us deserve a little happiness too?!"

"You gave up your right to a happy life when you tried destroying others' lives," Qarnau growled.

Ghazan scowled with widened eyes, anger flaring. He lunged at Qarnau. "And _you_ just gave up your right to _breathe_."

" _Ghazan_!" Ming-Hua yelled.

But Ghazan did nothing more _than_ lunge at Qarnau, though. He kept control. He and Qarnau only stared each other down, Ghazan's eyes flaming. His rage was _not_ one to be tested, but not always one to be feared.

After a moment, Qarnau looked over at Korra, unperturbed and unimpressed. "What's the point of all this nonsense, Korra?"

Korra was smiling with folded arms, as she had been throughout their whole argument. "A good teacher doesn't just give her student the answer."

"Well then consider me flunked," Qarnau said, stepping away from Ghazan. He sighed. "I think am quite finished here."

"Really?" Korra asked. "Giving up so soon?"

"I could only be giving up if there were something to accomplish here in the first place."

"Mm," Korra said, still smiling, walking back over to him. "I guess you might be right."

"Of course I am," Qarnau snapped. "I hope this little meet-up was everything you _dreamed_ it to be."

"In a way."

Qarnau rolled his eyes, done with Korra's wry crypticness. He looked back at Ghazan and Ming-Hua, informing them, "I'll be looking into what can be done about building spirit-prisons. A worthwhile investment, if I do say so myself."

Ghazan stood next to Ming-Hua, protective, glaring back. "Yeah," he said. "And I'll be looking into not getting caught by the 'spirit-cops.' See you, Korra."

"See ya," Korra said with a nod, her smirk gone. "And thanks. Later, Ming-Hua."

"Later, Korra."

With that, Korra and Qarnau left the oasis, heading back for Republic City's spirit portal.

After Ghazan and Ming-Hua were a ways behind them, Qarnau spoke up, somewhere between annoyed and confused. "Korra, what _did_ you hope to achieve with this? I'm quite confident in saying that I haven't learned a single thing, about you, about them, about me, about anything."

"Y'know," Korra said, her smirk returned, "that sounds like something _I_ would've said back when I was learning how to airbend..."

Qarnau groaned.

#

"In conclusion," Kuvira said, turning the last page over, "to put it succinctly: if you do not find Noatak's past sympathetic, you should at least recognize that he wants to make his future sympathetic. A man like him, with all the skills and abilities he has, has the capacity to do _so_ much good. Like I did what I could to right my wrongs, he deserves the same chance. A second chance. _Another_ second chance."

Noatak looked up at Kuvira, then at the crowd. That appeared to be the end of her speech. No one clapped or anything. All the civilians, all the reporters, they seemed...open, but the general feel of them was still the same as the start of Kuvira's speech: skeptical.

However, as Kuvira spoke her final words, many of them started exchanging looks. Perhaps, Noatak thought, they would not be immediately stirred, but, as told to him, this might be only the catalyst to getting him freed. Hopefully it would work sooner than expected, because Noatak felt unnaturally _bare_ before them all, his past, his motives all now publicly shared by the Prime Minister: his father being a crime lord, him forcing Noatak and Tarrlok to become bloodbenders, the revolution, ten years of being crippled in a wheelchair. Noatak felt...rather detached from himself after hearing it all in succession, somehow.

Kuvira looked down at him. He looked up at her as well, giving a small nod that he was alright, that she could continue. She nodded as well, then looked back to the crowd. "If anyone has any additional questions they felt I did not answer, I'd be more than willing to answer them more fully for you."

After a moment, a few hands started raising. "Yes," Kuvira said, gesturing towards the closest reporter.

The reporter cleared his throat. "So...are you blaming _Yakone_ for all that Noatak did? That Noatak's completely the victim in all that happened?"

Noatak nodded to himself, realizing the verity of his point. "Yes and no," Kuvira said. "If it weren't for Yakone, Noatak would not have been forced to learn bloodbending, and he would not have thought that bending was so cruel that he needed to make sure the world had no benders anymore."

"So the Equalist Revolution was all _Yakone's_ fault?"

Kuvira paused. "In many ways, he sparked it. But...like I chose to become a dictator, Noatak _did_ go about the most... _forceful_ way of doing what he thought was best, a way that, in the end, did more harm than good." She looked at Noatak for validation, and he nodded in agreement.

More reporters raised their hands, and Kuvira kept calling on them. Most of the questions were of the same caliber as the first, trying to pin the usual "so he _isn't_ guilty?" card. Nothing abnormally perceptive. Amidst all the questioning and answering, Noatak tried opening and closing a fist. His eyes widened in internal panic. His _chi_ was coming back, his bending. He still kept frozen, on his knees, fearing that any sudden movement would cause a panic from the crowd.

"What I wanna know is _Noatak's_ opinion," someone suddenly blurted. "What does _he_ have to say all this?"

"Yeah!" another joined. "What does he have to say for _himself_?!"

Noatak's throat tightened. Too much happened for him all in one moment. Surely they didn't really want _his_ voice to be heard, did they? He looked up at Kuvira, beyond nervous, the most nervous he'd been throughout her entire speech.

She was looking at him, gentle. "It's okay," she eased. "Go on."

Noatak hesitated. Even if he _did_ tell them the truth, would they listen? He cleared his throat, trying to find the most even yet loud voice he could manage as he begun. "All that I did...I only ever did for equality..."

The crowd immediately riled up in dissenting commotion.

"Please!" Kuvira said into the mic. "Let him speak! You asked him to, now let him!"

After a moment, the crowd did die down. Noatak forced himself to speak again despite his fear. "But, people...Equality..." He struggled for words, thinking back to all the monologues he'd composed in isolation for moments like this. "N-No one will ever be 'equal.' We all have our differences. Mine...was bloodbending. I used that...that _curse_ in a destructive, hypocritical way. I was blinded, by many things."

The crowd's quarreling energy had seemed to dissipate. They were silent, but not swayed. "I have many regrets," Noatak said, "the chiefest of them being that I didn't come to realize the truth of what I was doing sooner. I regret that Avatar Korra didn't stop me earlier than she did. If I could've returned every victim of mine's bending back personally, including the Avatar, I would have." He grimaced. "I'd sooner let myself be executed than try to take someone's bending or bloodbend ever again."

That last sentence was more potent than Noatak must've realized, because an audible, though very hushed gasp could be heard from the crowd. He felt a sort of...confused relief. _Did_ he just change the public opinion about himself in a few simple words? Was that all it took? No, it couldn't be. Kuvira never could, why would _he_ be any different?

But, he looked, and few people seemed afraid of him or angry with him now. They were all just surprised. He looked up at Kuvira. She was smiling, proud. Noatak found himself wearing the smallest of smiles too.

Maybe changing others' opinions wasn't as difficult as they had all initially thought.

Mako looked over, still scanning the crowd and surrounding officers. He noticed something, his eyes widening. Someone was rapidly pushing their way towards the stage. Just as he lunged to protect Noatak, Kuvira, Asami, and yelled, " _GET_ DOWN—!"

An explosion.

#

Noatak coughed, dust and dirt settling. He groaned. He blinked hard, trying to shake away his disorientation.

He opened his eyes to see darkness. Once his eyes were mostly adjusted, he realized he, Kuvira, and Asami were caught under a pocket of rubble, little light crackling through the rock. They couldn't have fit more than ten standing people under there with them. Asami and Kuvira both started stirring as well.

Noatak pushed himself onto his hands and knees, only remembering he was still cuffed when he looked down at his hands. "A-Are...we okay?"

Asami rubbed her side, wincing as she knelt. "I-I think so."

"Y-Yeah," Kuvira breathed, holding her forehead. "We're okay."

Noatak looked around at their cramped surroundings, the last few moments a blur. "What...happened?"

"That," Asami said, trying to make sense of what just happened, "was...a _bomb_."

The three of them looked at each other, shocked. A _bomb_? Who would do _that_? Was it someone trying to assassinate Kuvira? It wasn't impossible, but also didn't seem very likely. It couldn't have been for Asami. Noatak...Noatak was a _prisoner_ , soon to be imprisoned or executed. Why bother if it was for him? They could figure out the who or why later. They needed to get out of there first.

The three of them staggered to their feet, Kuvira taking a moment longer than the other two. They moved slowly, trying not to disturb any loose rubble. Asami turned and looked around. "K-Kuvira?" she asked, searching the rock. "Can you start earthbending us a way out of—?"

Kuvira gasped. It was a sudden, implosive gasp, like all air had just been sucked out from her. She fell to her knees, her robes getting soaked in pooling muddy water.

"K-Kuvira?" Asami asked, whirling around in urgent concern, getting on her knees as well, holding her shoulders. "Kuvira? W-What happened? What's going on?"

Kuvira held her chest and throat, her eyes wide, shaking her head, gasping. "T-Too...cramped. T-Too...small. P- _Prison_..."

Asami's eyes widened. That last word. She looked up at Noatak. "She's having a panic attack."

Noatak's eyes widened in concern too. "Oh _no_. W-What do we do?"

Kuvira's gasps started getting faster, uncontrollable. Her gasps soon turned into wheezes, then into whines. Her breath kept hitching, and she couldn't get it in check.

"K-Kuvira," Asami said, "j-just breathe. Come on, easy, easy. Stay with me. Stay _with_ me." She looked away. " _Darn_ _it_. What would Korra say? B-Breathe slowly? Deeply?"

Noatak could only stare at Kuvira as she struggled, gasping, fighting for breath. She attempted to calmly hold it in, only to exhale more abruptly and hoarsely each time. Seeing her suffer uncontrollably...

Noatak closed his eyes and sighed.

He raised his hands, the chains on his handcuffs quietly jingling, and reached out to Kuvira. She froze, her gasps gradually easing into silent breaths. She twitched, and her eyes rolled back into her head. She slumped with a soft groan, but Asami caught her.

Asami blinked, holding the unconscious Prime Minister in her arms. She slowly looked up at Noatak, fearing, doubting. "D-Did...you just...?"

Noatak grimaced in regret. "I...bloodbended her."

With the sound of the frightened crowd and rescue-crew outside, Noatak fell to his knees with a splash, shackled, soaked, defeated, mentally adding " _performing an illegal bending technique on a world leader_ " to his list of inescapable crimes.

* * *

 **Notes:** Kuvira's okay! She's okay! Just a little unconscious is all, as it says!

So...dang, did you like the chapter? Did Ghazan and Ming-Hua seem all cool and chill and redeemed and stuff? Suyin's gonna get a visit scene with Noatak, but I don't know if it'll get its own chapter or not. If it doesn't, this would run to a disgusting thirteen chapters instead of fourteen. I'll see what happens. These upcoming chapters should all be fairly shorter. I'll get the next one out as soon as I can :)


	10. Inbetween A Rock and A Hard Place

"We found them! Repeat: we found them!"

Noatak and Asami squinted as light started shining down on them, rubble and brick being cleared away. Asami was still holding Kuvira, still unconscious, safe and unharmed, but unconscious. They couldn't have been under there for more than a few minutes, Kuvira out for less than that.

Police officers cleared the last of the rock away, along with Mako. He stepped up onto the rubble, looking down at the three of them. "Are you guys okay?" he asked immediately.

Asami and Noatak exchanged a look, then nodded. "Yeah," she breathed. "We're okay."

Mako almost went to say something more, but Kuvira's inactivity caught his attention. "Oh no," he said with worry, eyes growing wide. "W-What happened to her?"

"Nothing," Asami said. "She..." She stopped, not about to make eye contact with Noatak, thus giving away what he just did to Kuvira. "Sh-she started having a panic attack." It was the truth. Nothing more had to be shared. No one needed to know that Noatak _bloodbended_ her. What extra harm would come his way then?

"O-Oh," Mako said. "I-Is...she going to be okay?"

Asami smiled wanly. "She's Kuvira. She's had worse. She'll wake up soon."

Mako admitted a nod there. "You're right. Let's get her somewhere safe." He gave Noatak a small encouraging smile. "You too, Noatak."

Noatak only nodded, still a little shaken by everything that'd just occurred. After Asami and Mako carried Kuvira out of the pocket, he let the officers take him by his cuffed arms. They lifted him up, but let him steady himself on his own.

"Are you injured?" one of them asked flatly.

Noatak shook his head. "No." As they started leading him towards the embassy, he tried to look back at Kuvira. Asami and some paramedics were setting her onto a stretcher, Mako reluctantly running off to help and direct other officers. Even though Noatak had only rendered her unconscious, that image _stung_ within him. Kuvira, the strong-willed resilient woman she was, being over-tended to like a simple cut on the arm of a finicky child.

Another weight of guilt on his conscience.

After the bomb had went off, much of the crowd had scattered in panic. Only a few reporters stayed, taking pictures of the scene for their next scoop: Amon getting bombed. As if news about him wasn't prevalent enough already.

The police made sure everyone was okay, especially Kuvira and Asami. They were escorted to safety, but not Noatak. He wondered if his guards could be blamed for negligence, but at least two officers kept close supervision on him at all times, as their help was needed in the clearing and cleaning up. That didn't quite help with his nerves though.

Once most of the victims were declared safe, backup arrived from the United Forces. A large squad came to set up a perimeter, clean up, and possibly apprehend whoever the bomber was. Despite all the investigating to come, they would never be identified, or found, by anyone.

"Best guess is it was a suicide-bombing," Mako said quietly, standing next to the captain of the squad, General Iroh's personal squadron.

"Whoa," Lee said. "We really gonna go that far with this?"

"Haven't found a body yet," Mako said, looking behind himself. "And at this point, don't think we will. Casualties are at a minimal, just injuries so far. If it weren't for that earthbender, half the crowd would be gone."

"Mm," Lee said with a nod. "Got it." He looked at a lieutenant of his, exchanging a nod to begin searching. "Thanks for the info, detective. We'll make this right."

"Of course," Mako said. He hesitated, then gave a salute, smirking. "Thank you for arriving on such short notice, Captain."

"Sure thing," Lee said, tipping the the brim of his cap.

Mako stopped, then chuckled. " _Just_ when I think you're tryin' to be serious, huh?"

"Iroh says it helps keep morale," Lee said with a smirk. "C'mon, there's an embassy to clean up."

"Right away," Mako said, running off.

Lee sighed and looked around. Officers still hurried back and forth, but were indeed slowing. The last of the victims appeared to be getting the treatment they needed, or at least moved to safety. It was a mild chaos, but he'd grown accustom to worse.

He brushed past four officers carrying someone away on a stretcher, and looked up. He froze.

Noatak looked around, standing alone amidst the dwindling commotion, searching aimlessly for his guards. He looked behind himself, and saw Lee. They both locked eyes, staring at each other.

"L-Lee," Noatak breathed, the relief of a friendly face washing over him.

Lee was speechless as well. "N-Noatak..."

They both soon started to laugh, the first true moment of levity for them today. Lee shook his head, grinning. "Man...l-look at you. I...I didn't think I'd get t—"

"Come on!" one of the guards said, he and another taking Noatak by his arms, leading him away. "Site's clear! We're leaving now!"

Lee halted. He could only watch as they dragged Noatak away, back into the embassy. He tried to see his face one last time, but couldn't.

His lieutenant jogged up next to him. He almost spoke, but stopped once he noticed the look on Lee's face. "Cap?" he asked, looking from him to Noatak. "Was that...?"

"Yeah," Lee mumbled, quiet.

The lieutenant winced, nodding sympathetically. He glanced behind himself. "I...I-I'm sorry, Captain. C'mon, we need to get these people medical attention. They need our help."

"Yeah," Lee mumbled, beginning to walk with him. "Help."

#

After another truck ride, Noatak crashed against the floor of his cell, rolling with cuffed hands, renewly chi-blocked of course. The cramped familiarity of isolation hit him like a brick wall.

"Spirits," one of the guards spat with annoyance. "Who thought it was a good idea to let him out of this place? He got the Prime Minister _bombed_. And Miss Sato too. No one'd have gotten hurt if they'd just kept him in here."

"Heard it was the Prime Minister's idea," the other said with a shrug. "She wanted to do this. She and him are pretty tight from what I've heard, 'specially with the Avatar."

The first guard snorted as they started to walk out. "Well look what that got her..."

"Anyone know when his trial's supposed to be?"

The door was slammed shut, leaving Noatak to shiver. It was not because of any cold, but from the dreaded realization.

That guard was _right_. Kuvira and Asami getting bombed, Bolin getting assaulted all those weeks back, when he bloodbended _Mako_ all those months ago in Gaoling, now along with Kuvira...

 _All these people getting hurt, my friends...because of_ me _,_ by _me, because they're trying to_ help _me._

 _I was never going to help people, everything that I've done. I was never a 'solution.'_ I'm _the problem._

 _Guilty. Guilty. You_ deserve _to be rotting in here._

"No," Noatak muttered. He slumped, shakily cradling his head. "No... _no_..."

#

Korra walked across the Air Temple Island plaza, quietly humming to herself. She and Qarnau had left the Spirit World not too long ago, and went their separate ways, him most likely going back to his office. It was nice to see Ming-Hua and Ghazan again, even if it had been while trying to change the mind of one of the most narcissistic people alive. Still, they were doing good. That's all she could ask for.

Qarnau on the other other, did just as much as expected. Was he changed? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Korra wondered whose path his would be most like: Kuvira's, Noatak's, Zaheer's, or Unalaq's? An immediate change? A slow change? A change too late? Or no change at all?

Korra sighed. She doubted one, hoped for two, and feared the last. She kept coming back to the compromise that maybe his change wouldn't matter for Noatak's freedom. Kuvira's speech would hopefully be the cause of that.

Multiple people were always more malleable than one, with the right words. A public demand for Noatak's release was a polarizing matter to go against to say the least. If the world had grown to accept Kuvira after what happened, then Noatak couldn't be too far off.

But, Korra worried, Noatak was being held in the city that _he_ had ransacked. If Kuvira hadn't been transported to an Earth Kingdom penitentiary and pardoned by Wu himself, her fate instead decided by the world...

Korra stopped herself and shook her head. Wu was a blessing, a blessing disguised as a nuisance at first to most, but a blessing nonetheless. She and Kuvira were both eternally grateful for his actions. He was an ally Korra didn't know they needed or could have. Not to mention Raiko was now the current holder of that title. Could _his_ help still be useful?

Maybe. Maybe they wouldn't need him again. Kuvira was incredibly perceptive, kindly charismatic, and could easily find sympathy with others. The biggest question on Korra's mind at the moment was had the public listened to the Prime Minister, and saw Noatak for what he really was?

 _Guess I'll just have to see._

Korra walked into Tenzin's home, not sure what she expected to find. She went into the living room. Standing by the doorway in a group was Mako, General Iroh, and Lee.

"Iroh!" Korra exclaimed, smiling with excitement. "Lee! You guys finally made it!"

They all looked at her at the sound of her voice. Iroh nodded, his hands behind his back. "Hello, Korra," he said, trying to smile.

"Hey," Lee said, also friendly, but noticeably subdued.

Korra blinked and furrowed her brow at their soberness. In fact, everyone seemed a little down. She looked at the couch, where Bolin and Asami sat either side of Kuvira, rather tentatively. Kuvira was holding her head.

"Wait," Korra said, stepping in concern, looking at her. "W-What happened to you?"

"Nothing," Kuvira said wearily, not very convincing. "I...had a panic attack."

"What?!"

Kuvira worked up the oomph to keep talking, keeping her voice a little quieter than normal. "I...haven't had one quite like that in a while. Noatak bloodbended me unconscious, to stop it. Next thing I knew...Asami and the paramedics were waking me up."

Korra and Mako both looked at her with widened eyes, but only Mako said, " _Oh_."

"Yeah," Asami said to him, guilty. "Sorry I had to lie to you about it."

"N-No," Mako said, shaking his head. "I-I get it, totally. That's the _last_ thing the public needs to hear."

Korra blinked worriedly, confused. "W-Why did she have a panic attack in first place?"

"We," Asami said, trying to relay it as delicately as she could, "all got...bombed."

"B- _Bombed_?!" Korra exclaimed.

"Can someone please get Baatar on the radio for me?" Kuvira asked with a slightly raised voice, her eyes closed, her palm to her forehead. "He'll want to know what happened. I better tell him and the kids myself first before word spreads, so he doesn't worry."

"Sure thing," Bolin said, standing up briskly. "Let's go." He stopped himself, then gingerly added, " _Slowly_."

Kuvira smiled as he helped her onto her feet. They, _slowly_ , made their way out of the room to the radio.

Mako looked to Korra, her somewhere between confused and terrified. "No one was seriously injured," he assured. "Kuvira had it worst, which, wasn't that bad, all things considered. She's been unconscious a lot over the years...right?"

"I...guess," Korra said with a slight clench of her teeth, Lee slumping down into a chair with a sigh. "W-Where did the bomb _come_ from?"

Mako exchanged a look with Iroh. "That's the thing. We...have no idea."

Korra looked down in thought. Her eyes darted over the floor. Soon, she started to scowl, muttering, " _That's_ why he agreed to go into the Spirit World with me..."

"What?" Asami asked.

Korra looked up slowly, angrily. "Qarnau. _He_ placed the bombs. He had them be placed. _That's_ why he agreed so easily to letting us do this! He's...he's been sabotaging us this whole time! He'll do whatever it _takes_ to keep Noatak in prison! _He_ —!"

"Korra!" Mako said. "Calm down! We can't jump to conclusions like that!"

"Besides," Iroh said, "there's no evidence that would imply that. Best guess is it was the Red Lotus."

"W-What?" Asami asked. "No, it...it can't be."

"The Red Lotus?" Korra said. "I thought you said the Red Lotus was going _away_!"

"It is!" Iroh said, defensive. "It's not _the_ Red Lotus, just whatever's remaining of it! This must've been a small rag-tag band trying to retain control, and obviously failing."

"If bombing the _Earth Embassy_ ," Lee said hoarsely, turned away from everyone, "was their ace in the hole, then they're more desperate than we think they are."

Everyone looked at him, shocked, concerned. "Lee," Korra asked gently, "are you okay?"

"S-Sorry," he said. "I...saw Noatak for, like, two seconds while we were cleaning up the embassy." He sniffed, rubbing his arm across his face. "It kinda got to me."

Korra furrowed her brow with worry. "Do you want to go visit him?"

"Don't I, like, have to get cleared first?"

"I'm the only one that's not supposed to be visiting him," she said with a shrug. "Lin can make it happen, I'm sure."

Lee looked at the floor. "I...I don't know. Maybe."

Korra nodded, Lee's current state not giving her much enthusiasm, the same as poor Maran was. She looked down and sighed, trying to recap. "Okay, so: you all got bombed, and Noatak... _bloodbended_ Kuvira." She grimaced. Noatak doing it as a last resort to put her unconscious made complete sense to her, but...Didn't they know her breathing technique? Inhale deeply, hold it, release slowly? Maybe not. Perhaps she'd have to teach everyone for future instances. "Aside from that, did everything...work?"

"Honestly," Mako said, "I don't think it...didn't _not_ work."

"The public," Kuvira tiredly called from the next room, "was initially skeptical, but they seemed to be warming up to him, much like how they did with me."

"Thanks, Kuvira!" Korra called back.

"Ughh," Kuvira's voice returned.

"Yeah," Mako affirmed. "There were a lot of reporters, a lot of them probably just there to fork out easy opinion pieces. Most of them didn't really want to admit that _maybe_ Noatak was a victim in some of what happened to him, but...by the end, just before the bomb went, they all just seemed...surprised, that he didn't want to keep taking peoples' bending."

"Huh," Korra said, nodding thoughtfully. "Cool."

"But Noatak's not going to get out of prison overnight," Asami added. "Unfortunately."

"Agreed," Iroh admitted. "Like with Kuvira, Noatak would have to save some political figure from being killed to get an immediate reaction. The public's going to have to marinate on this for little."

"But how do we know people are actually gonna do that?" Lee asked.

"What?" Asami asked back.

"There was a _bomb_ ," Lee clarified. "That's some pretty tense stuff. Violence is exciting. How do we know people aren't just gonna say, ' _he got bombed_ ,' instead of, ' _turns out he was just a confused guy who went through a lot_ '...and _then_ got bombed?"

"Oh," Mako said, crossing his arms. "Yeah, good point..."

"Some might," Korra said. "There always will be people that'll ignore what's said, but...not _everyone_ can ignore what Kuvira said, right?"

"We can only hope," Iroh agreed. "There's good people in this city, people that want the right thing to always be done. They'll step up."

Korra grimaced. "If only they'd step up more often..."

From the next room, Kuvira's soft chuckles and Baatar's voice could be heard. He was massively shocked that Kuvira'd been bombed, but also massively relieved that she was okay. The kids' voices could be heard as well, glad to be hearing that their mother was alright, glad to be hearing her voice in general. It gave Korra a little smile.

"How'd your meeting with Qarnau go?" Mako asked.

Korra looked at him, then slowly broke eye contact, her voice and expression neutral. "As expected."

"So...badly?"

"He didn't make any giant leaps if that's what you're wondering."

"Ghazan and Ming-Hua did their jobs?"

"Yeah. They were great, the happiest I've ever seen them."

Mako nodded, glad to hear they were doing fine. "Cool. But...if Qarnau didn't change his mind...was it a failure?"

Korra was silent for a moment. She rubbed her arm, still seeming zoned out. "I don't know..."

 _If it_ was _..._

#

How many times had Korra been to Qarnau's office, she wondered?

Well, she thought to herself as she walked through the door, she was back in it again, with another topic burning in her mind for "discussion."

"Hey," she tersely said to Qarnau, many folders neatly strewn on his desk where he sat.

"Korra, Korra," he said, almost smiling as he worked, "at least give me a day or two to think on Ghazan and Ming-Hua's words before you start throwing even _more_ words my way—"

" _That's_ why you agreed to visiting them," Korra accused.

Qarnau paused, then looked up at her. "I'm...not quite sure what your point is?"

"What happened at the Earth Embassy."

Qarnau hesitated. "There were...no major casualties? A miracle, if I can say as much—"

" _You_ put the bombs," Korra spat. "You went with me to the Spirit World so that I couldn't be there. You played Kuvira and me."

Qarnau blinked and furrowed his brow, genuinely shocked. "W...N-No, I...Of course not. I'll do what I can to get what I want, but I wouldn't... _bomb_ people."

"Are you sure?" Korra pressed.

"Korra, I..." Qarnau stopped himself, slow and deliberate. "I think we both know whatever I say isn't going to change your mind."

Korra stared at him, about to keep going, but stopped herself. He was right. Outright blaming him wouldn't get a straight answer out of him anyways, would it?

Qarnau huffed, his paperwork set aside. "Goodness, Korra. You wear yourself too thin too fast. Typical, if I can say so? Perhaps the therapist could use a session or two herself?"

"I'm fine," Korra said with forced force, clenching her fists. "I haven't felt this good in years."

"Your body, your thoughts," Qarnau said lightly, looking away. "I can't change either."

Korra looked down at the floor for a moment. She frowned angrily. "But you know what you _can_ change?"

"Noatak's sentence?" Qarnau assumed.

"Bingo."

Qarnau grunted with a smirk, moving a folder. "I'll have you know that I've not come to a clear consensus on what his sentence should be myself. In fact, it's not my place to do as such anyways, not on _my_ own accord. _I_ follow the law. His trial hasn't happened yet, just so you know. There'll be a fair jury, everything. Noatak will even get to speak for himself if he wishes."

Korra was still looking at the floor, full of empty rage. These "promises" of his felt empty. But Qarnau didn't lie...at least, she was fairly certain he hadn't been. He was straightforward, which was sometimes even worse.

Qarnau glanced at her as they thought. He stroked his chin, a sort of smirk appearing on his face. "I've been curious. I suppose it's _my_ turn to ask a question of you and your doings, if you'll allow me."

"Sure," she said, looking up.

"Why didn't you fight for _Kuvira's_ freedom as much as you are for Noatak now?"

Korra hesitated, glancing away from him again in thought for a moment. "She...needed time to think, to balance herself out, somewhere away from people that hated her. I don't think I could've done anything to free her anyways."

"Oh?" Qarnau inquired. "What a reason. What makes her imprisonment any different from Noatak's? A less convenient location for you, perhaps. Surely you have more credibility with the world leaders than with me. Surely you could've done _something_ to convince them to cut her a little slack."

"I did," Korra said. "Most of them were little step-by-step things, but they let me visit her from the start, once a week, when I was able."

"Only? That is _far_ less than what you've done for Noatak."

Korra only looked at him, her brow furrowed with worry.

Qarnau stared at her as well. Soon, he started to smile. He leaned forward, prying. "No...I think I get it. You _knew_ she should've been in prison. Deep down, you _knew_ she _deserved_ it."

"N-No," Korra whimpered, holding the sides of her head. "Don't say that. Not _prison_. It was _horrible_ for her. It was...a- _awful_."

Qarnau laughed loudly, leaning back in his chair. "I almost want to call you pathetic! How can one person be so attached to another for no good reason! It's as if just hearing her _name_ makes you falter."

Korra's worry started to vanish. Instead, she furrowed her brow in rage. " _Shut up_ ," she spat, stepping forward. "You know a lot of big words, but you don't know anything about people, about relationships, about emotion. Just _look_ at you," she said, stepping again. "You're a lonely old man who does nothing but paperwork to try to make himself feel important."

Qarnau's initially prying demeanor suddenly dwindled, his voice quieter than normal. "I think you're crossing a line here, Korra."

" _No_ ," Korra growled coldly. "Sometimes people like you _need_ a little _jolt_ , a wake-up call."

"W-What happened to all that gentleness and kindness?" he asked, nearly turning away from her.

"What happened to Mom and Dad's proud little fisher boy, huh?" Korra asked softly, putting her hands on his desk. "What happened to wanting to _help_ people for a living, to make a difference?" She scowled. "What happened to being a politician who gets what he wants without _hurting_ people?"

"I-I—!" Qarnau's face contorted. " _I_ _didn't_ _place the bombs_. I would never stoop to something so barbaric."

"Locking up Noatak in a cage isn't barbaric?

"Korra, please, it's just a cell. It's perfectly humane."

Korra slammed her fist down against his desk, eyes shut towards the floor. "It's _TORTURE_!"

She kept her face to the floor for a long while, grinding her teeth, fists against the desk. There really was nothing more to her argument than that. It was so _simple_ , so _easy_ to not hurt people when they did wrong. Why couldn't people _see_ that? Peace, kindness, a little bit of compassion...was that all so much to ask?

Qarnau said nothing, not immediately. Eventually, he took a folder, noisily scuffing it across his desk, leaving Korra to step away, still not looking at him. He spoke evenly, with little to no reaction at her outburst as he skimmed his papers.

"This has been a riveting few months for me, Korra. I dare say the most exciting run in my career as judge. You've made valiant strides in effort, but not much progress, it seems." He met her eyes. "His trial's in three short days, Avatar. What _will_ you do?"

Korra turned and walked out of his office, muttering, "Whatever I _need_ to."

* * *

 **Notes:** Dang, these arguments. The places this one went. Korra's getting on edge. How reckless will she let herself go?

SO, I realize that this was far too much time between updates, for which I apologize as formally and whole-heartedly as I can. Family matters are important. This is just a hobby, but it's one that I wish I could be more consistent with. I am still definitely plugging away. I haven't forgotten about this, trust me, I could never.

There's four chapters left, two of them being shorter ones, so it can't take _that_ long. Hope your Christmas went well! And I hope your new year will too! Start it off with some tragedy and angst.

Side note: I think I'm increasing the time-frame of this fic from only one month to three. It's not really gonna change anything story-wise or anything to come. I just feel one month wasn't quite enough time for everything that's happened to happen. Just know that Noatak's been imprisoned for almost three months instead of one if you've read this far.

Suyin and Noatak are getting their own chapter together next! A nice little calm before the storm. I love Su and I love Noatak, and I am greatly enjoying finishing their talk! I'll get back to working on it right away!


	11. What's Past is Past

_Yesterday..._

"I know it's probably felt like a long day for you," one of the guards spat with false sympathy, "but you got a visitor. Look alive."

"C-Can do," Noatak whispered, now laying paralyzed on the floor as the guards walked out, leaving him alone, in pain, as usual.

He shifted, getting his breathing back under control. He stared at the floor, trying to think. It had been...at least a day or two since Kuvira's speech. He could only guess. Time had little meaning for him anymore, even though it was the one thing still keeping him in here, other than being freed or dead. How he _longed_ to be able to meditate and escape into the Spirit World, to temporary freedom. Death might've been just as much of a freedom for him at this point.

 _N-No. Don't. Mother, Lee, Korra, Kuvira, Mako, Bolin, Asami, Lin, they all matter. They all want me free. I...have to stay strong...for them._

But what was the point of staying strong if he was never going to see them again? Executed _or_ imprisoned? What if he... _lost_ himself, like Kuvira almost did, _and_ —

"You're free to enter now, ma'am," one of the guards said.

"Thank you," a distinctly gentle, slightly weathered voice returned. Noatak snapped his head to look at the doorway. Goodness, for a split second he could've sworn that had been _Kuvira_. It wasn't her, but not someone unlike her.

Suyin Beifong walked into his cell, dressed in customary Zaofu robes. As the guards closed the door behind her, she looked down at Noatak. She gasped.

"Oh my goodness," she breathed with wide eyes, raising a hand to cover her mouth. She quickly forced away her shock, and knelt down next to Noatak, helping him sit up. "Lin told me they would chi-block you, but I...I didn't really think it would be _this_ bad. A-Are you okay?"

Noatak grunted, upright. "I-I'm fine. D-Don't worry. I'm...used to this now."

Suyin sighed sadly, looking away. "You shouldn't be. It shouldn't be like this for you." She struggled for a moment, thinking. "Do you want to sit on your bed?"

"At the table's fine."

"Alright," she said, taking better hold of him, minding that his wrists were cuffed. "Let's do this. On three. One, two...three."

Noatak grunted as she pulled him up, letting him get his feet underneath himself. She held him up as they walked slowly, almost carrying all of his weight by herself. Noatak was surprised, but didn't show it, mostly because of the pain. Despite her gentle soul and looks, Suyin was a fighter. A bit like Kuvira, he thought. Surely that had to have some correlation with her also being a dancer, also like Kuvira, since she was the one that taught her personally. How similar the two were.

Suyin helped Noatak into one of the chairs, where he sat. He breathed out gratefully as she took the opposite seat. "Thank you," he said. He hesitated. "Shall I call you Suyin, or Su?"

She smiled warmly. "You're very welcome. And please, just Su is fine." She hesitated as well. "Should I...ask to get anything for you? Do they...ever give you _water_?"

"I'm fine," he assured, noting her awareness of his situation. "And they do give me water, enough, once a day, once they've chi-blocked me of course. If I weren't taking it willingly, they'd be forcing me to drink it."

"I see," Su said, nodding slowly. "Are you...holding up? Well enough?"

Noatak's eyes glazed in thought. "I have been for... _two_ months now, nearly three. This hasn't been nearly as hard for me as Korra thought it would be."

"Good," Su said, relieved. "That's good." She sighed. "I'm...sorry that I'm starting off with so many questions. I just want to make sure you're fine is all."

"It's alright," Noatak said. "I understand."

Su nodded. She rubbed her thumb over the back of her hand, starting to smirk a little. "You know, I...never got to meet you, formally, when you were at Zaofu with General Iroh and the others, all those months ago."

Noatak smiled, thinking back. "Well we were a little busy rescuing your children."

She chuckled. "Yes, you were. Thank you again for that. It's good to meet you. I've heard a little about you, from Korra and Kuvira, and it's a pleasure to finally get to meet you myself."

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well," Noatak returned.

Su smiled, then held her wrist, looking regretful. "Korra couldn't come see you today. She'd be here with me if she could, but...I'm sure you know how things are about her coming here."

"Yes," Noatak said with a nod.

"Also, Lin wanted me to let you know that...tomorrow's your trial."

Noatak's eyes widened. " _Oh_."

"You...didn't know?" Su asked.

"No," Noatak said with a shake of his head. "That is news to me. I'm never told anything. Thank you."

Su only nodded, a worried look on her face. "When I heard _that_...I knew for certain that I had to come see you as quickly as I could."

Noatak nodded. "I understand." The guards hadn't even bothered to let him know. Would they have dragged him to the courthouse without any heads up? The trip to the Earth Embassy made him figure as much. He was lucky that Su was able to tell him so. He looked up at her. "Thank you again, for this."

She returned the nod. "It's no trouble for me at all. You deserve this."

She rubbed her wrist again, obviously keeping herself from asking something, not that it stopped her. "Lin told me that Kuvira's with the others. I haven't gone to Air Temple Island myself yet. Did you get to see her?"

In all the ways in the physical and spiritual worlds, Noatak contemplated how to tell this woman that he bloodbent her adopted daughter. "I...In a way. At the Earth Embassy, there was a bomb. She, Asami, and I were all trapped under the rubble. She started having a panic attack, and I...bloodbended her into unconsciousness."

"O-Oh," Suyin said, sitting up. "Oh no. I-Is she okay?!"

"She will be," Noatak calmly reassured. "I only incapacitated her, made her pass out. It's one of the simplest bloodbending forms...well, for me, at least. She's been through a lot more than me in less years. She's strong. Bloodbending won't have any lasting effects on her."

"Oh, goodness," Su breathed, her shock fading away. "And...she is, yes. Thank you." She thought for a moment. "W-Why did you _bloodbend_ her?"

"I..." Looking back, it came upon Noatak that maybe he _didn't_ have to bloodbend her. It was a split-second decision, and possibly an unjustified one at that too. But then he remembered the fear in her eyes, the desperation. It was...unnatural, almost, what happened to her. She hadn't struggled against his blood-grip. Surely she must've wanted it to be over. "I...suppose I panicked as well. I couldn't have let her suffer like that. She didn't fight it, if it helps."

"I see..." Su looked up with a little smirk. "And that brings us to why I'm here."

Noatak nodded, not sharing her philosophical spark. "Guilt."

"Yes," Su said, nodding. "Guilt. Do you mind if I share a little story?"

"Anything to hear a new story," Noatak said with a smile, shifting in his seat. "Not that Korra has bad tastes, but...history becomes a little stale after too much of it. Air Nomad teachings are fine, though. I don't share Kuvira's joy for words is the problem unfortunately."

Su chuckled. "She always was a bit of a repressed scholar. Not me, though. Growing up, I was...as rebellious as they come. I always skipped classes, went to hang out with friends when I should've been studying. Mom and Lin always kept insisting I stop and focus, Lin more so than Mom, but I never listened. I was in with the wrong crowd, and one day, things escalated."

"How so?"

Su hesitated a little, rubbing the back of her hand. "The scar Lin has on her face?"

Noatak's eyes widened. "Wait...that was _you_?"

Su nodded, trying to smile. "I was helping some of my 'friends' escape from a robbery, and Lin _just_ so happened to be the officer that stopped us. We started arguing, she tried to restrain me, I cut through her cable and it...snapped back and sliced her face."

"Oh," Noatak said with wide eyes. "I...I always figured she got it from an arrest gone wrong or something of the sort, but...never something so personal."

Su nodded, both hands in her lap. "Mom was upset with us, to say the least. She couldn't be caught with two daughters doing what we did, so she tore my report up, and sent me to live with her parents for a while."

"Oh," Noatak said. "A quiet effort to reform you? Or just to keep you out of trouble?"

"Both, I suppose," Su said. "But it wasn't her parents that changed me. They were good people, but I didn't think that they would help me find out what my purpose really was. Not that they were couping me up like they did with Mom."

"Wait," Noatak asked. "Couping her up?"

Su smiled. "Back when they were young, when Aang was looking for a earthbending teacher, he was convinced from a vision he had that it was Mom. A blind twelve-year-old girl, was supposed to teach the _Avatar_. Her parents were completely against it at the time of course, but she was stronger than they knew. She _was_ the reigning champion of an underground fighting rink after all."

"Wait," Noatak said in disbelief. " _Earth_ _Rumble_? _Toph_ was _the_ Blind Bandit?"

Su chuckled. "Yes."

"Wow," Noatak mumbled, sitting back. "During my travels, I saw a match myself, heard the rumors. I...didn't know what to believe. It's a brutal sport, it is."

"Yes," Su said, rubbing her arm in remembrance. "I had the bruises to prove it. I didn't do Earth Rumble specifically, just other smaller, rookie rinks around the area, some admittedly a little farther away than where I should've been. I thought fighting could be a good path for me, what with all the anger and rebelliousness I had, but it wasn't. I was good at it, and it paid well, when I won, but it never... _filled_ me like it did for Mom. After many months of living with my grandparents, and many, _many_ talks with them, I sent a few letters to Mom and Lin explaining myself, apologizing, and set off on my own."

"To where?" Noatak asked.

"Anywhere."

"Mm," Noatak mumbled. "I can attest to that. You managed to come across a new family faster than I did though."

"Well," Su said, "I didn't exactly have a real family for a few years yet. I'll spare you the details, but the first highlight of my travels was getting roped into a pirate crew."

" _Pirates_?"

"A metalbender like me was an invaluable asset for them," Su explained. "Repairing swords and all sorts of things. They weren't the worst of the bunch out there, mostly just smugglers and plunderers, but they weren't very accepting of others if they weren't beneficial for them." She tilted her head sheepishly. "It...wasn't the most wholesome of careers I could've taken, I know, but...I don't know, I thought I could get _through_ to them somehow. I know for certain I did with Dao, the toughest of the crew."

"How did that come about?" Noatak asked.

"It wasn't hard," Su said with a smile. "All it took was some talking. He was just their cook. He's actually _my_ cook now."

Noatak was at a bit of a loss for words, though smiling. "I...can only say your wanderings sound far better than mine."

Su chuckled a little. "Even with Dao, living on the sea and always traveling wasn't the easiest way to live, especially since I'm an earthbender. We seldom stayed in one place on land for long. That, the danger, mixed with the poor quality food, _spoiled_ food, I should say...I had to leave. I told Dao the night just before I left when we were on the mainland. He was sad, but...he understood. He told me he would miss me, and that I helped him have second thoughts about pirating."

"Did you go back to look for him?" Noatak asked. "After building Zaofu?"

"He came to _us_ ," Su said. "He heard the news about me, and left the crew. He heard others were finding new lives at Zaofu, and he wanted to find one for himself too."

"Huh," Noatak mumbled. "How...comforting." He pondered for a moment. "But that wasn't for a long while yet, was it?'

Su shook her head. "I didn't want to stay near that area for long, not knowing what they would do since I bailed on them, and as luck would have it, there was a circus a few towns over, a traveling circus."

"Wait," Noatak said with a smile, sitting up excitedly. "And that's where you met—"

"Zaheer," Su finished, smirking. "Yes." She frowned for a moment. "Wait...did Korra and Kuvira _really_ tell all of you?"

"Immediately after we left Zaofu," Noatak admitted. "Korra was the rambunctious one about it. Blame her. Kuvira was just surprised."

Su shook her head and rolled her eyes, smiling. "That girl. Yes, Zaheer happened to be in that circus, but he was only a gymnast at the time, not a revolutionary terrorist or anything like. He was one of the best acrobats I've ever seen, actually."

"How convenient that Harmonic Convergence gifted him with airbending," Noatak pondered aloud.

"Yes," Su agreed, nodding. "Harmonic Convergence did it for reasons we may never know, but he...kind of had a gift already. I know what everyone thinks of him now, but back then, he was calm, wise, and he was a good friend, something I needed after I lost Dao, not that the other performers were bad company. He taught well, I caught on, and acrobatics and dancing quickly became one of my greatest strengths."

Noatak nodded. He stopped, thinking. "I...don't wish to assume anything about him, but...did he try to sow the seeds of anarchy while you were with him? O-Or should I say, um... _around_ him?"

Su bit her lip for a moment. "Not entirely. He made excellent points about individual peoples' freedom, the out-datedness of the Earth Monarchy and Fire Lords, and I found myself agreeing, completely. But, I...didn't realize he meant to go through with _killing_ world leaders for a long while. The circus was great. I made great memories there, some good friends, but...I worried about Zaheer, and feared I wouldn't be able to change his mind." She squeezed her hand, and sighed. "So eventually, I left, again, without telling anyone, wherever the wind would take me."

Noatak looked at her for a moment, brow furrowed. "You feel guilty for not trying to change him."

Su nodded, still biting her lip. "For not having to courage to try..."

Noatak nodded in understanding, looking away. He wanted to ask more, but worried further talk about that would upset Su.

 _She blames herself for Zaheer, for him killing the Earth Queen, and all the pain that the Red Lotus caused..._

 _And by extension...for what Kuvira ended up doing?_

"Did you happen to reconnect with any of your friends there like with Dao?" he asked instead, hoping to brighten the mood.

Su nodded, her breath a little shaky. "All of them, yes. They were fantastic people, and still are. A few are actually living in Zaofu now."

"That's good to hear," Noatak said with a smile. He paused again. "Where did you end up after the circus?"

Su breathed out, her focus regained. "Traveling around the central Earth Kingdom ended me up in a sandbender commune, in the Si Wong Desert. I was well old enough to be traveling by myself then, but I figured staying in a group in those parts was better than being alone."

"You were wiser then than I was," Noatak painfully reminisced. "Did anything worth of note happen to you there?"

Su shook her head. "Not really. Shipment squabbles, which led to gang wars, which wasn't made any easier by the droughts. I had few friends during that period, if any. It was harder for me than being a pirate."

"Did you stay a sandbender long?" Noatak asked.

"Longer than I needed to," Su answered, regretful. "They were more savage than the pirate crew, and it started getting to me. I knew I couldn't keep living like that, with _them_ , so I fled, just...a wreck. But...that's when it dawned on me. It was only then that I realized what I wanted, what I _needed_ , what I had been searching for during all of my travels: a family. Every place I found myself, that's what I was searching for, trying to hold together: people to help, to love and care for."

"I see," Noatak said with a nod. "So that's what you did, started a family."

Su nodded. "Yes. I happened across a wealthier town, and stayed there for a while, the most comfortable I had felt since the circus. But, I planned on leaving again, spirits know where to or why. I was just desperate. I'd made myself think I _had_ to keep traveling, that I shouldn't live comfortably after what I did. But...my plans were changed, when I met Baatar."

"Ah," Noatak said, smiling. "That's when you finally decided to settle down."

Su nodded, starting to smile and unable to stop. "Yes. I never met anyone quite like Baatar during any of my travels. We just... _got_ each other, so well. He was smart, wanted to create things and help others, and I _needed_ help and others. I needed comfort, and growing up how sheltered he did, he had a lot to give." She couldn't help but blush. "Things went pretty quick for us. Before I knew it, we were married, and looking for somewhere else to go live. We were fine with living where we were if we had to, but one day, out of the blue, he asked me, 'What if we make our _own_ place to live? Somewhere...perfect, not just for us, but for everyone.' His family was wealthy enough, plus with Mom backing us up with extra donations, Zaofu might as well have built itself."

"Oh," Noatak said. "So, your mother and you were made up by then?"

"Yes. I started sending letters to her and Lin. Baatar's idea. I...I _can't_ tell you how happy I was that she wrote back," Su said, growing a little emotional again. "She cared about me, even after what I did, all that I went through, like nothing even happened. She was just glad I was safe."

Noatak nodded as he listened, but kept his expression neutral. He'd realized something, something he wasn't sure if he should've made verbally known or not.

"Lin, on the other hand," Su went on, "I...never heard from her directly, not until she came with Korra and the others to Zaofu years later."

"But that's when you reconciled with her too," Noatak asked, "correct?"

"Yes," Su answered with a nod. "And we've been close ever since."

Noatak nodded in relief, leaning back. "That's good, wonderful. So, with Zaofu well under construction, you and Baatar married...you finally started a family all your own? The family you always wanted? Needed?"

"Yes," Su said with a smile. "Baatar Junior first, then Huan, Wing and Wei, Opal...I couldn't have asked for better children, all so unique in their interests. They all have such bright paths ahead of them."

"They were everything you could've hope for."

"Yes, they were." Su stopped. "At least, I thought they were everything I needed, until...until I was called for by the guards one day. I had no idea what for. I walked in, and with them was just a little girl, all alone, the guards telling me that she couldn't find her parents."

"Kuvira," Noatak breathed.

Su nodded, swallowing. "She was...so lost, so confused, so _hurt_. The guards searched for her parents all they could, but...they must've left town."

Noatak looked down, saddened. "That's horrible."

Su nodded. "I didn't know what to do at first. If her parents purposefully abandoned her, giving her _back_ to them wasn't going to be a good place for her to be. I didn't know who else could take her in. There were no orphanages in Zaofu yet. But, then I realized. There was...something in her that I had felt during all of my time traveling: being...lost, unsure, scared of what was to come, if _anything_ at all. I saw myself in her, the scared little girl that I used to be. I knew for certain that I had to take her in then. I asked her if she would've liked to stay with me, at least temporarily, and she said yes. We bonded immediately, and neither of us wanted to let go."

"You treated her like one of your own," Noatak assumed.

"I did everything I could to make her feel at home," Su answered with a nod. "Everyone else made it so easy. They all bonded with her like it was nothing, made her feel _so_ welcome. I could see it after just a week. She was the big sister Opal wanted, the polite little cheer-leader Baatar Junior and Huan needed, the fellow metalbender Wing and Wei were looking for. She grasped metalbending at only _eight_ years-old, not to mention dancing. A prodigy." Su started smiling helplessly. "I was so proud of her. She was _so_ happy to learn, to _live_. She was another ray of sunshine in my life I didn't know I needed."

"You loved her," Noatak said, brow furrowed. "You all did, like family."

"Yes. She _was_ family to us, another daughter to me."

"But then things...escalated," Noatak probed.

Su nodded, then hesitated, rubbing the back of her hand. "You...know what happened, don't you?"

Noatak nodded reluctantly. "More or less. The Earth Queen's murder, you didn't want to lead the insurgency to reform the Earth Kingdom during Korra's absence, Kuvira thought you should've, so she took it upon herself when you didn't. One empire with Baatar Junior later...Korra convinced her to surrender and she let herself be imprisoned."

Su nodded, still rubbing her hand, jaw chattering. "Yes. Korra...Korra told me how sorry Kuvira was for what she did to the Earth Kingdom, and to... _our_ family. _She_ told me how sorry she was, but...I-I just pushed her away, abandoned her just like...just like her _real_ parents did. I went to her while she was injured in prison, and all I told her was that I _used_ to care about her, and that I regretted taking her in. I...I _hated_ Kuvira. I...I tried to _kill_ her. I've never hated someone more in my _life_ than then..."

Noatak sat back with wide eyes, finding himself confronted with something he did not expect. He was now sitting paralyzed in front of a hopelessly crying woman.

 _She...she's..._ sorry _, for what happened. Genuinely sorry._ Broken _because of what she did._

 _And I was about to_ blame _her for it?_

"D-Despite all that," he said, insisting, "she's okay now. She has a family again, children to call her own, a job, a home to go to at the end of each day. She's happy, _so_ well adjusted to all that's happened to her. She's told me herself. I've...never _seen_ someone so genuinely happy. You're more her mother than her 'real' mother ever was. You've made your amends, and you're both closer now than you've ever been, right?"

Su nodded, still weeping, wiping her eyes. "Y-Yes, we are. Sh-she is. I..." She wiped her nose, shakily sighing. "Th-thank you."

Noatak nodded, leaning back. This was not how he imagined this meeting to go. If anything, he wished that _he_ were the one in tears. "I'm...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for that. I...didn't know you still felt so much about what happened."

"Neither did I," Su forced out through her sobs.

He and Su sat in silence for another minute or two, excluding her sniffs and sighs as she wiped her tears. Eventually, when she seemed fairly recomposed, Noatak looked back up at her. "All the things you did, and all the things you didn't do...they stuck with you until you built Zaofu and reconnected with everyone, didn't they?"

Su nodded, sniffing one last time. "Yes."

"And you eventually let go of your anger towards Kuvira, correct? With help from Korra?"

"Yes."

Noatak glanced down in thought for a moment, eyes tracking over the table, only one question on his mind now: "What did you do to escape your guilt?"

Su shook her head sadly. "I never really did. You can never _completely_ escape guilt. You can try to forget it, but it's one of those things that you can never _truly_ be rid of..."

Noatak looked down at hearing her words, despondent, almost losing all hope until she added:

"But sometimes that's a good thing."

He looked up at her, listening with quiet bewildered awe as she went on.

"It's natural to feel guilty, but you can learn to use it, fuel yourself with it. If it's anything Korra helped me learn, it's something she told me herself: 'The past has already happened. _Nothing_ we do to someone will change that. We can only look towards the future, and change it, them, and ourselves because of it.'"

It hit Noatak then, resounding. "Like Kuvira did."

Su started to smile again. "Yes, like Kuvira did. Once, she told me, after being Prime Minister for quite some time that there's still people out there that hate her. She said: 'There's still people out there that'd rather I be back in prison than helping the Earth Kingdom. But that's the thing: I'm helping them, and they hardly even realize it. I'm making their lives easier and safer than ever before, and they want the opposite for me.' I asked if that would ever stop her, and you know what she did? She smiled and said, 'Never. If I can't change their minds immediately, I'd still help change their lives. That will always be more important than whether they like me or not.'"

 _Truly an awe-inspiring person._

"The past has already happened," Noatak mumbled to himself in thought. "Their lives are more important..." He pondered for a moment longer, then looked back up, smiling. "Thank you, Su. I think that was all just what I needed to hear."

She returned the smile, nodding in her warm way. "You're welcome, Noatak."

They talked for a small while longer, not a full half-hour, as Noatak made sure to let Su know. They conversed about littler things, mostly Kuvira, her kids, Korra, the Beifongs, Zaofu in general. Eventually, Su had to leave, but not before offering some encouraging words, and Noatak was free from any extra chi-blocking.

She walked out, the door was closed, and Noatak was alone, he realized with a wave of ecstasy, _truly_ alone now, for the first time in all his time in solitary.

Once the chi-blocking wore off, Noatak stood without a stumble. He glanced down, and clenched his cuffed hands. He looked over at the floor, his gaze met by the mask's, always there, always staring.

 _I was Amon._ _...and I chose to take those peoples' bending._

He walked over, tall, lean, and bent down, picking up the mask.

 _But now I am not, and I wouldn't ever again._

Noatak looked at his mask as he held it, gazing into its empty eyes.

He found himself sharing its smile.

 _If they want to execute me, if they force me to spend the rest of my days in a prison like this, whatever they wish to do to me...it doesn't matter in the slightest anymore._

Noatak dropped his mask to the floor, it clattering against the metal.

He stomped his right foot down on it, hard.

It shattered, _satisfyingly_.

#

"Are you ready?" Kuvira asked, double-checking that all her papers were properly gathered.

Korra nodded as she sat, her back to Kuvira as she rubbed her arm. "Yeah...I am."

 _There's still so much good you can be doing, Noatak, so much you deserve to be seeing._ _You_ aren't _gonna rot in a cell._ _I don't care how okay with prison you say you are, how adjusted you think you've gotten. I won't let you._

She stood up, breathing deeply, in and out.

 _No matter what it takes._

* * *

 **Notes:** I don't have much to say about this, other than everything will finally go down next chapter. There's three more, and two are on the smaller side. Get ready :)


	12. The Right Thing

_Today..._

Korra sighed quietly out her nose, her hands resting on top of each other as she sat at the table. In the room, it was mild enough, no complaints warranted, but outside, it was a _beautiful_ day. The sun was shining its brightest this week, the weather was clear, all of it just perfect for practicing bending forms, or meditating in Tenzin's pavilion. It really was an amazing day.

What a waste to be spending it in here.

"ORDER!" Qarnau yelled, slamming his gavel against his high-rise podium, trying to get everyone in the courtroom to simmer as he sat. " _Order_!"

Korra unwillingly snapped back to reality. She sighed, forcing herself back into focus.

Noatak's trial. Spirits, it was today. It was finally happening, after weeks upon _weeks_ of _painstaking_ wait, and the assembly gathered was far greater than what everyone had expected. The jury had just returned from their recess, only adding to the number of people in uproar: officials, reporters, maybe even some simple civilians. Korra wasn't completely sure. She hadn't been paying as much attention as she'd usually be. The officers were there for that. If only Lin could be one of them. Korra's focus was on the here and now, mostly. She struggled to keep herself from the occasional stray thought, mostly just wishes to be sparring and such. Anything other than _this_.

Everyone else was back at Air Temple Island with Tenzin's family, listening to the radio broadcast. Noatak's trial was a city-wide event, and everyone wanted to know what would become of him. The stakes were high, not that Korra ever had much trouble with that before. It was just a shame that people couldn't be a bit more civil about it.

"Order!" Qarnau still bellowed. "We will have _order_!"

Korra snorted with a smirk, leaning towards Kuvira, sitting on the Avatar's left. "Sounds like _you_ a few years back, huh?"

Kuvira kept poise as she did in every situation, but also helplessly cracked a smirk. "Please not now, Korra."

She was still in Republic City, reluctantly going against her and Asami's initial plan. Baatar still worried about her since the incident at the Earth Embassy, but she was fine, and convinced him that her place was here, helping Noatak. Baatar agreed, relatively okay taking care of Park, Anaya, and Takeo on his own. His worry was causing Kuvira to worry, one of the last things she needed at the moment. Su deciding to stay at Air Temple Island with everyone did help a little.

"Not funny?" Korra asked.

"Fairly," Kuvira answered. "I just don't want to be laughing during one of our friend's sentencings is all."

"Oh. Good point."

Sitting on Korra's right was Raiko, rubbing his forehead with a huff. "I came here thinking I'd be _helping._ Not even _I_ am good enough incentive to convince these people that Noatak deserves a decent trial?"

"You'll be useful yet," Korra told him. "I'm sure."

"Definitely," Kuvira agreed. "If it's anyone they'll listen to, it's you."

Raiko looked at them and nodded. "I will do what I can, I promise."

Korra nodded back, her brow determinedly furrowed. The president's sudden appearance was a surprise, to her, to Kuvira, to everyone in Republic City. He'd said he regretted that his personal meeting with Qarnau those weeks ago did not amount to much, so here he was, another stalwart political ally making up for mishaps of his past. As if Noatak's trial _needed_ the extra buzz...

Noatak. Korra snapped her head to look at him, as if she expected something to have changed. He was only standing in the middle of the room at a podium as he had been, cuffed, minorly chi-blocked, with guards on either side of him. He was silent in all the chaos, the calmest one in the room.

Korra hadn't been able to get more than an, "Are you okay?" in amidst all the commotion near the start of their trial. He'd only nodded with a simple, "Yes." He was unusually calm, even a little...happy, even, underneath all his stoicness. Perhaps Su's last minute visit really had helped him with the guilt of his past. She told Korra that he looked balanced back at Air Temple Island, like a massive weight had just been _lifted_ off of his shoulders.

But now here he was, having it all shoved right back down his throat again.

 _Well, in an hour or so, it won't matter. He's_ not _gonna pay for what he did a second time. We'll make sure of it._

Finally, everyone in the courtroom decided to subside. Qarnau sighed, seeming to be exhausted already as he set his gavel down. "Thank you," he said lightly. "Now, then...where were we?"

"Noatak's conditions, sir," one of his attendants said.

"Ah, yes, thank you," the judge noted, rifling through a few papers. He cleared his throat. "So, since his arrest three months ago on Air Temple Island, Noatak has been incarcerated in a special solitary confinement unit in the Republic City Police Department. He was healthily fed and given water every day, once chi-blocked of course, so that there was no possibility of him hurting anyone. He was denied frequent visitors or any outdoor privileges, with the previous reason of preventing anyone any harm. He submitted willfully, but nonetheless always had to wear handcuffs, in the event that he were to attack the guards or anyone else, should he become unstable, though the chi-blocking would negate this in the first place. To counteract him becoming unstable at all, a routine assessment was conducted every day with one of his meals: a mental and physical checkup to assure that he was healthy and sane. He always proved positive."

Qarnau set his paper down. He looked up and raised a brow at Noatak. "Unless the defendant wishes to plead _otherwise_?"

Korra looked at the judge, then Noatak. This unexpected allowance of voice was...unexpected. Did Qarnau know what he was potentially unleashing?

Noatak spoke clearly, but quietly. "Aside from the chi-blocking, the guards never did anything exceedingly harsh or uncalled for."

"That is good to hear," Qarnau said with a nod. "I want you and everyone else to know that if any did, I would have had them exempted from their duties as guards immediately."

Noatak nodded.

Korra bit the inside of her cheek. Noatak was... _there_ all the times he was chi-blocked, right? They did more than chi-block him: insults, curses, unwarranted disdain towards him in general.

 _He knows that, but he's...not bringing it up._

Korra's inhale was much shakier than she thought it would be.

"That time in solitary," Qarnau continued, "was not part of any sentence. It was simply to make certain that he was not still intent on harming anyone while he awaited trial. But now here we. The subject of debate today we've all, myself included, pondered for too long, we will finally now come to a verdict on as a city, as a nation: _what_ should the sentence of this man be?"

Everyone started to rile up again, yelling out their own suggestions, but Qarnau swiftly took his gavel and pounded his podium. "Order! Order, _please_! Jury, if you would relay your consensus?"

Once everyone had calmed down again, one of the twelve from the jury stood up. He seemed a frailer man, not that it stopped him from saying what he did with the conviction he had. "Your honor, we've all unanimously come to the conclusion of...nothing short of a life sentence, or execution."

Korra cringed. It wasn't set in stone just yet, but it was harrowingly close to being the rest of Noatak's life.

Qarnau nodded, neutrally expressioned. "Mm. Hefty terms, those are."

"If I may propose," Raiko spoke up, "a life sentence or execution is far too great a punishment for Noatak's doings. Kuvira didn't receive one. Why should he?"

"K-Kuvira's—!" the man from the jury blurted angrily. He noticed Kuvira looking at him, clearing his throat and calming himself. "Th-the _Prime Minister's_ actions were not exactly intended on harming people. They, _usually_ , just resulted in casualties. Noatak wanted to _take_ peoples' bending, one by one, personally. It was an attack on people, not nations."

Kuvira wore a hard, yet sad expression as she listened to his words.

"But," Raiko returned, "what happened with the Earth Empire still caused untold pain nonetheless. The Great Uniter and Amon would be at equal fault, no? This in mind, Kuvira was pardoned from prison _twenty-five_ years early of her thirty-year sentence, under the strict rules of becoming Prime Minister, or some sort of community service-esque labor." He smiled at her, picking her up a little bit. "I can't help but relay that she did _both_ , willingly. Noatak is no less willing than that. The three of us and more have all seen it. He joined with General Iroh to combat the New Red Lotus not even a day after being able to walk again. Admirable, both physically and as a measure of character, if I say so. Perhaps that should carry over to his sentence in some form."

Noatak's head was up, but his eyes were down, not showing much reaction.

"Mister President," Qarnau said in rebuttal from above, before everyone could get too loud, "if I may oppose, none of Noatak's work in the Black Lotus was ever exactly legal, recorded, _official_ at least. It was never a strictly judicial punishment or sentence. Community service? Perhaps, but not even Kuvira escaped prison. And more so, King Wu specifically made it known that she was the only person he trusted, that could help bring around the peace the Earth Kingdom desperately required. She was needed. Noatak _isn't_ needed...anywhere."

The jury agreed.

Raiko was silent for a small moment, then nodded. "I see your point, judge."

Korra rubbed her wrist, wincing. She didn't make known how much everyone was putting Noatak down, even though it hurt to keep hearing. It was unfortunate that his old path wasn't as easily defendable as Kuvira's.

"Darn," she whispered. "That was one of our good ones too..."

"There'll be more yet," Kuvira encouraged.

"To expand on a previous point made," Qarnau said, gesturing to the man from the jury, "we have ourselves the first of Noatak's many crimes to analyze: the theft of many, _too many_ peoples' bending."

Everyone murmured, but Qarnau didn't have to silence them this time. He cleared his throat as he filed through papers. He stopped, and looked up. "Avatar Korra, among the lists of victims' bending he took, _yours_ was one of them, correct?"

"Well...yeah," Korra admitted. She hesitated. "But I got it back!"

" _Miss Avatar_ ," Qarnau said, holding back his quarrel, "that does not negate the taking of it."

Korra leaned back with a sigh, crossing her arms. "He only took a _third_ of my bending if you need me to get specific. My airbending unlocked after, not blocked or stolen. Technically he didn't even _really_ take my bending. I was still able to bend afterwards, wasn't I?"

 _Even though it was one of the most destroying things that's ever happened to me, but...details._

Qarnau made an admiring frown as he nodded at her. Korra felt a little bit of hope spring inside her. She had just made a point that he had no retort to. How...elating.

"But," another member of the jury said, "could that count as the theft of _three_ person's bending? That was three whole elements no longer in the Avatar's control."

Korra tensed up in her seat, clenching her fists, forcing down the urge to rebuke that man. He wasn't making that point for any just reason, only to make Noatak suffer more.

"Mm," Qarnau said in contemplation, stroking his chin. "That is an interesting supposition. But..." He gestured at Korra. "Seeing as the Avatar is the master of all four of the elements, I presume she is truthful in saying that she was still a bender after what happened to her. Korra makes up one victim and one victim only."

As he made a notion, the jury member sulked. Pouted, really.

Korra felt Kuvira's hand on her fist before she even saw it.

"Besides," Qarnau said, looking back up, "three indeterminable victims is a poultry addition to the entire _half_ of the bending population of Republic City that was assaulted."

"Yes," Kuvira whispered. "Those odds are _much_ better now..."

"Hundreds upon hundreds lost their bending during the Equalist insurgency," Qarnau continued. "Those numbers alone would land Noatak a hefty sum of years in prison. Not quite a life sentence, but nearly, give or take the _additional_ penalty of assault on and theft from an officer, our own Chief Beifong. _Unless_ we find need for the death penalty, this will most likely be the case for him. Are we all in accord?"

Some still wished to linger on the death penalty, but everyone agreed.

"Good," Qarnau said. "And that brings us to..."

He looked up, bitter. " _Bloodbending_."

A shiver could be felt through the room. Noatak readjusted his footing, eyes still downward.

"Noatak," Qarnau said, "your bloodbending victims include...Avatar Korra, Detective Mako in _two_ instances, and the now Captain Lee of the United Forces, correct?"

Noatak nodded, wincing. "Yes."

"To clarify," Kuvira spoke up, "Noatak only did so the second time to Mako because he had been thrown off of the side of a water tower. He caught him, and moved him back up to safety, nothing more. There were no harmful intentions behind what he did then, only guilt thereafter." She looked over at Noatak. "Correct, Noatak?"

He looked over at her and nodded, smiling a little, grateful for her clarification. "Correct. I hated myself thoroughly for doing so. My hand was forced, and I...panicked. I was beyond relieved when I found that Mako was alright after it was all said and done."

"I see," Qarnau slowly said in thought. "But, were you the _only_ one present that could've saved him? Was not Zaheer a member of the Black Lotus with you?"

Noatak grimaced, thinking. "Zaheer could have easily saved him, but...I do not think he was close enough to intervene in time..."

"He and I," Korra insisted, "only reached them once it was completely over and done."

The judge pondered longer, as if he was waiting for something. "It was wrong of you?" he asked Noatak flatly.

Noatak's eyes fell again, though he still stood tall. He sighed softly. "If it is another crime which I must pay for...I can only do so."

Qarnau stayed silent. He said nothing for so long, murmurs started to float from the crowd. Raiko shifted in his seat. Kuvira turned her head. Korra furrowed her brow.

"Sir?" one of the attendants asked. "Is...that a crime for which he must pay?"

Qarnau still looked at Noatak, eyes narrowed. Finally, he spoke, brief. "No. Not this one. No one could have saved Detective Mako but him in that situation, at that time." He picked up his pen and made a notation. "He is innocent in that respect, and that respect only."

Grumbles came from the jury, and Korra took a slightly relieved breath.

The debating continued heartily, for almost an hour or so. Qarnau questioned Noatak's past actions, and Korra, Kuvira, and Raiko would defend him, clarifying and mitigating that his doings weren't nearly as bad as some were in recent years. No one became incredibly hostile, but only the three of them were ever exactly "gentle."

Qarnau, surprisingly, seemed fairly unbiased throughout the whole process, so far at least. Korra didn't like the feeling she got from him though. He didn't have a humble, "changed" air about him. It was more of a pandering professionalism, something she hadn't seen him display during any of her arguments with him, except that once with Kuvira.

 _He...really is being pretty fair. He hasn't_ agreed _with the jury yet. He's...almost on our side._

Amidst the talk of bloodbending, how cruel it was, how illegal it "should" be, someone spoke up, saying, "I think it would be beneficial of Noatak to explain how he took peoples' bending, how he _actually_ did the process for us all, in layman's terms."

Qarnau nodded. "I think that would be a very beneficial thing for Noatak to share as well." He gestured. "If you would?"

Noatak paused, thinking how to phrase his words without sounding enthusiastic about his unique discovery. He wasn't _proud_ of it, but being the only person who could do what he could was...a little exciting, in a twisted way. He inhaled. "I referred to it as 'stealing a person's bending' because I wanted people to believe that there really was no way they could ever get their bending back." He grimaced. "That was just one of my many, many lies. I never 'stole' anyone's bending. As Korra demonstrated, it was well able to be reclaimed. The reason my victims couldn't bend was because I chi-blocked them, internally, which is why they resulted with instant fatigue and limpness afterwards. The actual process is precise, but quick. I bloodbent deeply through their neck and spine, not harming them or damaging them physically, and cut off their control of their bending."

Qarnau listened with narrow eyes. "So...every person whose bending you ever took, you... _bloodbended_."

Noatak hesitated, but nodded. "It would never feel quite like if I were to completely control someone, but yes, I used bloodbending on every one of my victims."

Qarnau glanced down at his papers, becoming mildly urgent. "This changes...very much for you. I do not wish to sugarcoat this, Noatak, but even though it wasn't always an extravagant use of bloodbending, on _multiple_ people? Everyone's bending you _ever_ took? You're not receiving anything short of a life sentence with those pretenses."

Noatak nodded weakly, seeming to shrink. "I understand."

"Oh," Kuvira whispered in fear. " _No_..."

"Hold on," Korra suddenly said aloud, half-getting up from her seat. "I, um...Objection?"

Qarnau looked at her and frowned. "Have you something to say, Avatar?"

"A few things, I guess," she said, standing up fully. She stepped forward, looking down for a moment. "Bloodbending is...awful. It's _terrible_ to do and terrible to have done to you. I can attest. But...so is hurting people in general, right?"

Qarnau didn't nod immediately. "Obviously."

" _And_ ," Korra continued, "one of the main reasons Kuvira got the sentence she did was because she started off with a good, helpful cause. She got a little leeway 'cause of that, right?"

Qarnau had something hidden behind his neutrality. "I am waiting to see where you take this."

"Thanks," Korra said with a little pep. She looked around at all the people in the courtroom, meeting their eyes. "Kuvira wasn't trying to _kill_ people. She was trying to help make the Earth Kingdom a stable, prosperous place, because no one else would. And she _did_ help the Earth Kingdom." She looked at Kuvira, who looked down. "But she got misguided, and starting helping in ways that weren't so helpful." She paused, expecting. "Noatak—"

"Noatak wasn't trying to _help_ anyone!" someone from the jury blurted. "He only stole and killed!"

" _Noatak_ ," Korra started again, a little stern, "never _wanted_ to _hurt_ anyone either, even if that's what happened. He never wanted to make nonbenders _better_ than benders. He only wanted benders to be brought down to the nonbenders' level. He called himself an 'Equalist' for a reason. He really did believe in equality." She looked at him, his eyes already downwards. "But...hurting people isn't true equality. Now he realizes that, resents that."

She turned. "He can bloodbend. If he _really_ wanted people hurt or dead, or worse...they wouldn't still be here in Republic City. I wouldn't have been _able_ to cure that entire half of the bending population if Noatak'd wanted to. But he didn't. He just wanted everything to be fair, no one hurting anyone else in ways they couldn't defend themselves from." She winced, nodding and shrugging. "Was it a really hypocritical way to do it? Yeah, but it was a dangerous, misguided path from the start. He wouldn't have learned what bloodbending was if it weren't for his father. He's just as much of a victim as any of his were."

She looked more closely at all the people. They all just sat in silence. No one was nodding, and no one looked like they were convinced.

Korra blinked worriedly. "You're...really not going to understand this?" she asked in disbelief.

"Avatar," Qarnau said from above, with a sort of heavy sympathy, "I'm afraid there are things out there that can be done that people just can't forget. There are some people, if I may, Prime Minister, that are still not pleased with what happened to the rest of Kuvira's sentence."

"Like _you_?" Korra asked, looking up at him.

Qarnau scowled, cocking his head away. "Political maneuvers are to be carefully planned courses of action, not sudden sleights of hand. The stability of the Earth Kingdom has been an issue for far too long, but thankfully, it is back under control."

Kuvira only sat listening, eyes down with gently folded hands.

"So, what?" Korra said, irritated. "Noatak getting tortured first doesn't get him a _little_ sympathy?"

"He _would've_ gotten sympathy," Qarnau said, "if he hasn't lashed out on others like his father did. Innocence only is applicable to those that are innocent."

Korra strained. "You... _really_ can't see—?"

"There's healthier ways to cope with past tragedies than taking it out on others," Qarnau dismissed. "The fault is on Noatak for not knowing such, and for it, he must pay."

Korra scowled, fists clenched. She wanted to keep arguing, but...

She sighed, and she conceded. She walked back to the table with Kuvira and Raiko, and sat. Kuvira put a hand on her shoulder.

"So," Qarnau said, taking a paper, "if we can continue, perhaps we could discuss a little more about Noatak's 'recruitment' of the poor and more povertous of Republic City's people—"

"What about the mask?" Korra interrupted.

Qarnau halted again, and looked up from his papers. "Pardon?"

"All this," Korra said, "and you don't even mention the mask..."

Qarnau slowly shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't..."

"The mask of Amon?" Korra accused. "You know, the thing you _forced_ Noatak to have in his cell against his will?"

The jury started to mumble to itself in confusion. They apparently didn't know a thing about the mask. This was new information to them. The crowd started murmuring too.

Qarnau looked at them, seeming startled, then back at Korra. "I was granted full permission to... _use_ the item in question. None of what happened was _illegal_."

"So it wasn't _cruel_?" Korra pressed.

"Noatak's solitary conditions were as fair as we could make them. He is a _psychic bloodbender_ , if you can remember."

" _Don't_. _Change_. _The subject_ ," Korra growled.

"You are in no position to order me around, Avatar," Qarnau spat. "Please, take your seat, if you would."

Korra blinked with a furrowed brow, then looked down. She was not aware that she had stood back up in her anger. She begrudgingly took her seat, and crossed her arms.

"Okay," Kuvira said under her breath, pressing her fingers against her temples. "This is _unbelievably_ aggravating..."

Korra sighed. "You said it..."

A little more debate trickled on, and things did not start looking up. Only one other comment was made about Qarnau using the mask, to which he quickly steered away from. Eventually, the debating seemed to come to a relative stop.

"So," Qarnau said in recap, "the people that Noatak has bloodbended in the past includes: Avatar Korra, Detective Mako, though the second instance was under the pretense of saving him, the late Councilman Tarrlok, Chief Beifong, Captain Lee of the United Forces, and...every person whose bending he ever took." He looked up. "This about sums it up?"

"Yes," Kuvira said with a nod.

"W-Wait," Noatak suddenly said, quiet. "There's...That's not all..."

Korra's eyes widened. She looked at Noatak, desperate. "Noatak, what are you doing?" she whispered to him.

He looked over at her, sobered. "I cannot lie. If I truly want to be innocent...Well..." He looked back down. "I suppose I never _will_ be innocent..."

"Come again?" Qarnau inquired. "What is this?"

Noatak sighed, and looked over at Kuvira. "Kuvira," he said heavily. "I...I bloodbended her too, just a few days ago."

A surprised gasp came from everyone in the courtroom.

"W-What?" Qarnau demanded. "When? _How_?"

Noatak slowly shook his head sadly. "She...had a panic attack, when the Earth Embassy was bombed, when we were trapped. It was...horrible. I couldn't have let her suffer like that."

Everyone was still in shock. Qarnau looked at Kuvira, quite surprised himself. "Prime Minister...is this true?"

Kuvira looked at Noatak. She could only quietly say the truth. "Yes."

Everyone gasped again.

Qarnau looked at Noatak in bewilderment. "W-Why did you _do_ this?"

Noatak struggled to speak. "It...was not necessary, but I...I panicked. That is all there is to it. I didn't need to, and I shouldn't have done it." He bowed his head. "I am guilty."

"He can't do that!" the first man from the jury said, the rest of the members riling up in anger behind him. "That's completely unethical!

Korra glared at the man from the side of her eye.

 _Hypocrite. He's_ really _defending Kuvira now, only when it means punishing Noatak more, isn't he?_

"Quiet! Quiet!" Qarnau yelled, slamming his gavel to silence everyone. They did so with relative speed. Korra bit the inside of her cheek, shaking her head in fear.

"It is quite clear now," Qarnau said softly, resting his gavel. "It didn't seem necessary before this, but I think there's only so much that can be allowed."

He raised his voice. "Under the charges of heading a war-mongering extremist revolution, the theft of countless benders' bending, and in part the bloodbending of numerous peoples, officials, _and_ the _Prime Minister_ of the Earth Kingdom..."

Qarnau looked up, his expression hard and bitter. "I hereby sentence Noatak, leader of the Equalist Revolution, to be _executed_ for his crimes."

As Judge Qarnau slammed his gavel against the podium, Noatak could only bow his head, shackled and submissive. The jury started mumbling assenting whispers.

"N- _NO_!" Korra yelled, jumping out of her seat, preparing herself to ignore all the concerned protests she knew she'd get from Kuvira. "You WON'T execute him! You _CAN'T_!"

Everyone turned to look at Korra in surprise, including Noatak. Qarnau only laughed in amusement, saying, "Then what shall we do, Avatar Korra? Just let him go _free_?"

"K-Korra?" Kuvira asked worriedly. "W-What are you...?"

Korra's fingers scraped against the table top.

 _No. It can't. It can't end like this. We've come too far for him to just_ die _._ _He deserves so much better,_ _so much more. Why can't anyone but us_ see _that?_

A small part of her considered metalbending Noatak's cuffs off right now, and escaping with him. But...no, that would just make them both fugitives. That wouldn't help Noatak at all, would it? Convincing Qarnau was the only way to change this.

 _But even when we corner him with the truth, he sneaks out of it, even just_ denies _it. How can he keep doing this?_

 _What will it take to change his mind? What can we do?_

 _Maybe we...can't. Maybe I've finally met someone that's unchangeable..._

 _No. He's gotta be. There's just only one thing left_ to _do, one last thing that could possibly work..._

Korra bit her lip and sighed.

 _Sorry I'm breaking my promise, Tenzin..._

Korra stood up straight. She clenched her fists, unwavering as she said:

"You'll execute _me_ instead."

A hush fell over the courtroom, a wall of silence. Few people actually gasped this time, in too much shock at what Korra had just said. Kuvira, Noatak, Raiko, and Qarnau only froze, blinking. "I-I _beg_ your pardon?" the judge asked.

Korra stayed adamant, defiant. "The only reason you think Noatak needs to be executed is because you want to punish someone. Well, here you go: one person for you to punish."

"W-We can't do that!" Qarnau said. "You're the _Avatar_!"

"So what? Last time I checked, I'm still just a person. I'm no different than Noatak, than Kuvira, than Raiko, than you. I'm human, and I'm letting you treat me like less. My spirit'll be given to a new host anyways. The Avatar never _really_ dies."

"K...Korra," Qarnau said, trying to act neutral, "please, be reasonable."

" _Don't_ talk me down like you know what you're doing any better," Korra spat.

" _Korra_!" Kuvira quietly begged.

"Noatak doesn't have to _die_ for what he did," Korra said, "no one does. But I'm willing to take his place. It's the Avatar's duty to keep balance in the world, however they can. This is how I have to do it now."

Qarnau still said nothing, shocked beyond words. He looked over at the jury, uncharacteristically apprehensive.

"K-Korra," Raiko insisted, "are you... _really_ certain about this?"

It hurt to do, but Korra kept ignoring him and Kuvira. "I'm not backing down until you put me in a cell like Noatak!" she demanded.

Everyone in the courtroom was completely disoriented, asking each other what to do. Finally, after a scratch of his cheek, Qarnau reluctantly waved a hand, giving the order. "G-Guards, put...put Avatar Korra in one of the holding cells, along with Noatak. I...think this hearing is adjourned...for now."

He slammed his gavel against the podium, and the courtroom immediately went up in chaos. The guards took Noatak by his shoulders, and two others came by and took hold of Korra, pinning her arms behind her back as they walked away with Noatak's squad.

"K- _Korra_!" Kuvira yelled desperately, standing up with Raiko at their table.

As they were led down the courtroom to the door, Noatak looked over at Korra, blinking in worry. "W-What are you doing?" he asked her.

Korra looked at him, gentle, calm. "The right thing."

With confused commotion and cameras flashing, Noatak, ex-leader of the Equalist Revolution, and Korra, the Avatar herself, were taken side by side to cells.

* * *

 **Notes:** Finally caught up to the present. What now?


	13. Can't Take This Back

Korra laid on her bed, arms behind her head. She looked up at the ceiling with a furrowed brow. Should she go for a nap, she wondered? It was almost...noon, so why not? She had nothing else to do.

No, she did. She had a _lot_ to do, a _lot_ to think about still. She didn't know how much longer she'd get. She needed all of her bases covered. No loose ends. Then why was she wasting time laying in bed in the first place?

Korra brought a hand down to scratch her head. Or, she tried to. The metal around her wrists suddenly clanked together above her face. She jumped a little, then sighed.

 _Oh yeah. That's right. Prison..._

Korra rolled, slowly sitting upright on the edge of her bed, dropping her handcuffed wrists into her lap. She sighed again, laughing a little, despite or because of her lethargic drowsiness. Now she knew how Noatak felt for all those long months, a little bit anyway. She wasn't getting chi-blocked like he had been, but it had been only one night for her. She didn't know what else might come her way.

One night, and a few measly hours of sleep. She'd survived on less in the past.

 _Please don't be worrying about me, guys. At least not too much..._

It had been one full day for her at most in a solitary cell, and quite frankly, it sucked. Death row was _not_ a walk in the park, though it...literally ought to be. "Comfortable last days" and all that.

Korra sighed, and took a look around the cell. It was about the same as Noatak's old one, but smaller, and the "bed" she was currently sitting on was more or less a slab. No windows of course, but there was enough room to exercise as best as one could with handcuffs. That and the food were enough to let most of the bad slide.

The _sun_...Korra missed the sun.

She grimaced and shook her head. She didn't need the sun. She sun wasn't going to help her where _she_ was...

No. No, she...she _wasn't_ on death row for certain yet...even if she wanted to be. What she _really_ needed was to know how Noatak was doing. She had no idea where he was, what was happening to him, besides from the snippets of the guards' vague chatter. She was pretty sure he was in a cell close to her, not that she'd be able to talk with him about anything. If he'd been able to learn how to meditate into the Spirit World, _so much_ worry leading up to this wouldn't have had any reason to exist in the first place.

Qarnau. It all depended on him now. Korra and Noatak both were at his mercy, if the judge had any to show. Nothing was set in stone just yet. Would Qarnau let Noatak go as Korra asked and punish her instead? Or would he ignore her plea just to kill Noatak?

 _Fun odds. But...it's doable._

Two knocks suddenly sounded at the door. Korra jumped a little. Still not used to that. "Are you decent?" a guard from beyond asked flatly.

"Yeah," Korra answered. She was never made to switch into an inmate uniform or anything like that, still wearing her usual casual Water Tribe getup. Come to think of it, she hadn't dressed very special for Noatak's trial at all. Was that disrespectful? Kuvira had dolled up a little bit.

"May we enter?" Her guards were significantly gentler with her than Noatak's were to him. Was that because they were death row? Or was it only because she was the _Avatar_?

"Sure."

"Alright." Some steps. "You have five minutes, Prime Minister."

Korra's eyes widened. She snapped her head to the door.

The guards opened it, but didn't step inside themselves. Sure enough, Kuvira entered, wearing her formal robing, timidly holding her hands. The door closed heavily behind her, and she stopped in place. She and Korra only looked at each other in silence.

Eventually, Kuvira let out a little sigh, trying to smile. "How the tables have turned—"

"Are you okay with this?" Korra asked urgently, sitting up more. "Being in here?"

"I'm _fine_ ," Kuvira said calmly. "It's _you_ that should be having trouble."

Korra looked down, sidling to the side a bit. "I'm okay." She itched the back of her head. "Tired, but...okay."

Kuvira hesitated, then walked over, taking a seat next to Korra on her slab bed. It was bringing back delicate memories for the both of them, and they both couldn't hide it. Kuvira glanced at Korra's cuffed wrists, uneasy, obviously about to share something. She rubbed the back of her hand, and sighed.

"Look, everyone's really worried. Bolin...E- _Everyone_ wants to come see you, but the guards aren't letting them until you're declared passive."

"Passive?" Korra repeated confusedly, looking up.

Kuvira looked at her too, furrowing her brow in that motherly way of hers. "Offering to trade places with someone on death row is a fairly errant move, even for the Avatar."

"Errant?"

"It...H-Haphazard."

Korra raised a brow. "Not helping."

"Umm..." Kuvira fiddled for simple words in her anxiousness. "I-It was crazy of you. Dangerous."

"Oh," Korra said, head falling. "When you put it like that, I guess you have a point." She thought for a moment before looking back up. "How come _you're_ able to see me?"

Kuvira smiled wanly. "I've proven to be able to beat you in fights before, plus the Prime Minister can pull a few strings if she wants to." She shrugged meekly. "Everyone agreed that I should be the one to come see you anyways..."

Korra nodded.

Kuvira glanced away for a moment, hesitating. "That's Maran included."

"What?" Korra asked with a little flinch. "She's...Is she at Air Temple Island?"

Kuvira nodded, a little saddened. "She was too late to reach Noatak's trial in time, but she was able to stop by with everyone else to hear the broadcast. She's...just as surprised as everyone else by what you did."

Korra snorted. "Same here..." She found herself bouncing her leg. "Y'know how Noatak is? I feel I don't know only 'cause I'm stuck in here."

"Other than he's waiting for the verdict like you and everyone else is, nothing."

"Darn..."

"Yes..."

A dead silence hung in the marginally spacey cell. Kuvira sighed with brisk worry. "There _has_ to be another way to do this."

"There isn't," Korra said. "I heard one of the guards say that Qarnau said my execution could be in three days."

"You're...okay with that?" Kuvira asked, looking at her.

Korra shrugged, looking at the floor. "Some Avatars didn't live to be old like Aang. Some died in battle, some died from sickness..." She looked up at Kuvira. "Some had to make sacrifices."

"But...d-do you really have to be _executed_? You don't deserve that."

"Neither does Noatak. No one does. He deserves to be able to live his life."

"I...I know," Kuvira said, leaning forward with her elbows on her legs, holding her chin in her hands as she looked to the floor for answers. "There...there just has to be another way. There...there _has_ to be..."

They both pondered in silence longer. Korra was the one that broke the silence.

"Take Raava."

"W-What?" Kuvira asked, straightening and looking at Korra, blinking with a furrowed brow. "Korra, what are you—?"

"Take Raava!" Korra said cheerfully, her cuffed wrists jingling with her excitement as she turned to Kuvira. "I'll give her to you! It's okay! She won't have to find a new Avatar!"

"K-Korra, no. I-I _can't_!"

"Yes you can! ' _Avatar Kuvira_.' You'll sound _awesome_! Come on! You're one of, if not _the_ wisest person I know! _I_ trust you, _she_ trusts you! You'll be fine!"

"Korra! Stop!" Kuvira said desperately. "I'm the Prime Minister! I'm a _mother_! I can't be an _Avatar_ on top of all of that! If I were meant to be the Avatar, Raava would have picked me herself!"

Korra's smile slowly faded. Her excited fists fell. She winced with a shake of her head, realizing what she was doing. "I-I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I...I just..."

"It's okay," Kuvira reassured, calming down as well. "I understand."

Korra fiddled with her cuffs for a long moment. She looked up with a sheepish smile. "Maybe I _am_ getting a little desperate."

Kuvira made a huff, not looking at her. "It's alright. It's okay. It's a completely natural thing to do. Anyone would. I get it. I'm... _I_ just..."

Her lip suddenly trembled. She took Korra's arms, touching her forehead against hers, much to the Avatar's surprise.

"You can't," Kuvira demanded. "There...There _is_ more ways to do this."

"Not one that will work," Korra said calmly, eyes on Kuvira's hands as she returned the forehead touch. "Not one that'll change their minds. If dying is what'll do that, I have to."

"You _can't_ ," Kuvira begged, a crack in her voice. "After all we've been through, all of us..."

"You don't need me," Korra quietly insisted. "I've done all I need to for you guys, I think."

"Korra..." Kuvira slowly leaned back and looked at her. "What...?"

Korra had no fear in her eyes. "You all know what I'd do about anything important now: what I did for you, a little gentleness, a little compassion. The only hard part is doing it despite what everyone else says. That's all I want out of you guys, out of the world. Just make it happen. That's what I'm hoping this'll show them, Qarnau, everyone. It's all I want."

As Kuvira stared in teary-eyed confusion, the door suddenly opened up. A guard walked in, a younger one. Kuvira hastily wiped her eyes before speaking. "A-Are my five minutes up already?"

"No," the guard said honestly, nervously. "It's, uh...Are...you ready, Avatar?"

"Ready?" Korra asked. "Ready for what?"

"You...don't know?" he asked, stepping a little.

Korra and Kuvira exchanged a look, both growing confused.

The guard's eyes widened. He forced himself to speak. "The...the execution's happening _today_."

So this was it, then.

Korra slowly stood up, silent.

"K-Korra?" Kuvira asked, still sitting.

Korra only looked at the floor, hands cuffed. "Back during the campaign, six years ago, you know how you were going to sift out the new Avatar from the people of the Earth Kingdom once you killed me?"

"K-Korra...?!"

"Well," Korra said, walking out of her cell with the guard, not looking back, "since you're in charge of the Earth Kingdom again...hopefully you guys can all find my next life sooner."

" _Korra_!"

* * *

 **Notes:** :( One last chapter...


	14. The Execution

Two guards led Korra down dark corridors, still keeping her hands cuffed. They were silent. Korra decided to stay quiet as well, accepting of what was happening to her. She breathed in with a little shiver, the realization of her situation slowly rolling upon her like the cold sweat of a fever. This was it, wasn't it?

This was the end. This was where her... _story_ stopped. She didn't exactly want to say that her past accomplishments were all "legend" worthy...not like the other Avatars' at least.

Aang passed away from old age during a well-earned era of peace, Roku was betrayed to die at the last minute by his closest childhood friend, Wan succumbed to his wounds on the battlefield after years of fighting for balance, but Korra...Korra was going to get a standardized execution, in place of the man that everyone would call her first true enemy, both of them humbled prisoners.

 _Funny how life tends works out like that..._

Not that her career as Avatar was a worthless one though. Everyone always said that she had changed the lives and fates of _so_ many around her. Kuvira most prominently should've gotten a life worse than execution, but now she was the happiest person Korra'd ever known, with _kids_ , reunited with her old adoptive family, helping bring prosperity to everyone around her. Now Noatak was going to get a chance like that too, thanks to Korra.

No matter how much Tenzin and everyone else always praised her accomplishments as Avatar, she _always_ wished she had done more.

Korra grit her teeth. She _also_ wished that she could've gotten some more time to talk with Kuvira back in that holding cell.

 _I said everything I needed to say. No one knows us better than we do._

 _But, Mako. Asami. Bolin. Tenzin. His family. Lin. Lee. Iroh._

 _Mom...Dad..._

 _Kuvira'll tell them. She'll tell everyone. Even..._

"H-Hey," Korra spoke up, trying to get the guards' attention. "Do I...get to see Noatak one last time, before you do this?"

They didn't acknowledge her.

"Well," Korra persisted, "if I'm not, as the Avatar, I want you to tell him...'Thanks.' Can you do that?"

Either the guards wouldn't acknowledge her, or they were having a very hard time trying to ignore her.

Korra looked down, mumbling, "That's what I thought..."

Eventually, they reached a small room at the end of a large hallway. As they walked inside, Korra held her breath, expecting to see an electric-chair or some sort of restraining device, but...there was none of that. Just a table and two chairs, mirrors where windows would be.

An interrogation room.

"Am I being questioned on something?" Korra asked, really blind to everything after spending only one night in solitary.

The guards didn't answer her. Instead, they silently forced her to take one of the seats at the table. She complied, and waited in the decent lighting, expecting...something. She twiddled her thumbs, waiting a considerably while longer than she thought she'd have to.

She spent at least a half-hour sitting in silence, and the guards stood behind her the entire time, as if she was dangerous.

Korra sniffed with a twitch of her nose, itching for any conversation. "So," she asked the guards, "uh...how am I going out? Noose? Electrocution?"

"The front door," Qarnau suddenly answered, strolling into the room.

Korra blinked in surprise, looking towards the judge as he shut the door behind him. "W-What?" she asked. "I'm...You're letting me _leave_? I...I thought my execution got switched to today?"

" _You're_ not going to be executed," he bluntly corrected.

Korra paused, then scowled, her brow creased with anger. "No... _No_ ," she said, weakly smacking her fists against the table. " _I am_. If it's not me, it's no one. You're _not_ going to kill Noatak! Make _me die_!"

"C- _Calm_ down, calm down!" Qarnau demanded with raised hands. "There's no need for any of that! Not anymore! The only thing being executed here is my...preconceived notion."

Korra blinked. That didn't sound right. Didn't sound _real_. No one was...getting executed? "What are you saying?"

"I've...come to a consensus," Qarnau said reluctantly. "The jury had... _harsh_ objections, the harshest they could possibly have against me, but...Noatak will _not_ be executed. Instead, he will serve..." He hesitated, as if he was coming up with the number on the spot. But that was not the case. " _Five_ years of community service to the United Republic, whatever form that takes."

Korra felt frozen. She needed a moment to take it in. Noatak was...getting community service. Noatak was getting community service. _Community service_ , not an execution. That...was huge! Wasn't it? But...

But what the heck did the "whatever form that takes" mean? What did that entail? What was there _to_ entail? War clean-up? Military? Anything more involving than _litter_? That didn't...

Military.

"Wait," Korra said slowly, looking up. "Does...does that mean he can do stuff for the United Forces?!"

While giving the slightest of hinting smiles, Qarnau reiterated, "Whatever form that takes. Any physical labor would constitute, really. I hear tell that General Iroh still has his hands full clearing out bandits around the United Republic and Earth Kingdom, making certain that the New Red Lotus stays dead and gone."

Korra was unable to ask any further questions. She was in shock. Happy, elated shock. Qarnau was letting Noatak _live_...letting him work with _Iroh_...

And by extension, _Lee_...

"Sir?" one of the guards asked. "Should we uncuff her now?"

Qarnau looked at Korra for a moment, then nodded. "Certainly, I suppose."

Korra had to blink herself into focus, looking back up. "O-Oh. O-Of course." She glanced down at her hands, and meekly offered the guards her cuffed wrists. "S-Sorry."

They got her cuffs off quickly, to which she gratefully rubbed her freed wrists. She stood up, still looking down, still in awe. "Noatak's _not_ gonna be executed," she repeated to herself. "He's...Th-that's...I..." She looked up at Qarnau. "Th- _thank_ you, Qarnau!"

" _Don't_ thank me," he insisted with a raised hand and closed eyes. "I'm just serving justice. Noatak should be working his crimes away, not stewing on them. How counterproductive would _that_ be? Especially with the risk of terrorism still lurking beyond the horizon?"

Those words were too good to be true. "What changed your mind?" Korra asked happily, putting a hand on her hip. "I doubt it was anything _we_ ever argued about."

"Well, not quite," Qarnau admitted with a scratch of his chin. "Not exactly. It all...caught up with me, I suppose. But more so...you were _completely_ willing to give up your life for a man that means _nothing_ to you, that _stole_ your _bending_."

Korra smiled. "People like him mean everything to me. And I'd give up my life for you too if I had to."

Her answer seemed to disturb something within Qarnau. That was good. He really _was_ listening to what she'd been trying to get through to him for three whole stressful, horrible months.

"Does this make us friends?" she asked with a small smirk.

"Of course not," Qarnau spat harshly. "How could _we_ be? Acquaintances, if anything _at all_. _You_ could still classify as a convict if I so wanted it. I _could_ still keep you detained for attacking the guards all those weeks ago."

Korra flinched, blinking, his tone tearing through her. "What...Qarnau, why—?"

" _Judge_ ," he interrupted, "Qarnau. Don't think you've got me begging for forgiveness out of your hand like your other past rivals, Avatar. I am _nothing_ like them. I. Am not. _Weak_. I have a reputation to uphold around here, and the last thing I need is to be _groveling_ at your feet."

Korra shook her head, partly in disbelief, partly denying Qarnau. "It'd never happen like that."

"It won't," he enunciated, " _believe_ me." He sighed heavily, turning away. "This case was _not_ the fiasco my record needed. It would've been my...my...ugh, my 'greatest achievement' is all I can conjure up now. Me, putting away a revolutionary leader! I thought the Avatar was supposed to keep things in _balance_ , not _demanding_ her _death_! My reputation will be...in shambles!"

"What good's a reputation if it's built on dishonesty?" Korra asked.

"Plenty if it's the only thing keeping me from being a whimpering... _case_ like Kuvira and Noatak are."

Korra raised a brow, putting a hand on her hip. " _I_ think they're pretty well-adjusted."

"Yes, you, the girl that willingly put herself on _death row_ for one of them. Are you certain all that spirit energy isn't getting to your _head_ somehow?"

Korra winced, still caught off guard. "Did you... _really_ let Noatak go just 'cause he can help stop bandits?"

"So what if I did?" Qarnau asked, head upturned. "Isn't his freedom what you wanted?"

"Of course," Korra said. "But...I thought you changed his sentence out of a place of...I don't know...change?"

"Change," Qarnau repeated. " _Change_." He chuckled darkly. "Nothing good has come from change for me, not recently. Things were fine the way they were until _you_ started dropping by my office. Happiness comes from a healthy status quo, not...judicial _anarchy_ like what you insist on perpetrating."

Korra smiled, almost laughed. "I want every world leader to stay a world leader, _if_ they're doing their job correctly. I just want them to see that a little... _leniency_ in the right situation is a good thing, a helpful thing. Beneficial."

" _Beneficial_?" Qarnau asked with disgust. " _Again_ I say that the public will never look at me the same after this. That's not benefiting me at all! Who'll trust a judge that can't even give out a decent verdict while under fire from his jury?!"

Korra shrugged with a pursed lip. "Well...Kuvira and Noatak gave up leading armies, and _they_ seem pretty happy with what they're doing now. Maybe it's time for a little change. Maybe you should...start over too?"

Qarnau's eyes stayed on the floor for a long while, a billion thoughts obviously running through his head. Eventually, he looked back up at Korra, something different about his eyes.

" _Mind_ -boggling, Avatar," he said. "You are _mind-boggling_. Intriguing, in your own little way, but mind-boggling." He put his hand onto the top of the chair closest to him for a moment, huffed, then waved. "Now come along, unless you _don't_ want Noatak to be given the news with that gentle touch of yours?"

#

"Noatak is still in his holding cell," Qarnau informed Korra on their way to the holding block, "I assure you. He was never removed since we put him there yesterday when you, um... _insisted_ to be incarcerated yourself. I want you to know that secretly executing him or something of the sort while you were kept occupied somewhere else _never_ crossed my mind in the three months he's been in custody. It's unethical, dishonest..."

"Just like what you did with the mask?" Korra asked wryly.

Qarnau sighed heavily, not directly answering her. "You know the guards found it shattered in pieces on his floor. He broke it, the day just before the trial."

Korra looked forward with a smile. "Way to _go_ , Noatak." She furrowed her brow. "Why? Was that illegal?"

"No," Qarnau admitted, "but...it almost made me second guess his psychological assessment. A little symbolism, it almost seemed: him breaking along with the literal face of his past."

"Something kinda like that, yeah," Korra affirmed. "That's probably what he was going for." She shrugged. "It probably just felt good too."

Qarnau grunted, possibly in agreement.

They made their way down the holding block, and came to Noatak's cell, two guards standing in front of the door.

"Make it quick, Avatar," Qarnau said. "I'm sure neither of you want him to stay in there any longer than he has to."

"You can count on that," Korra said, turning to the guards. Qarnau nodded at them, and one of them nodded back.

He gently knocked on Noatak's door. "May we enter?" he asked.

"Y-Yes," Noatak's voice stuttered from within. Korra had to smile a little. He wasn't quite used to having gentle guards either.

The guards opened up the door, and let Korra walk inside. The door was closed, and she looked at Noatak. He sat on his slab bed, handcuffed, thankfully not appearing any worse for wear since she last saw him. In fact, he only seemed anxious to see Korra.

He looked up at her as she walked in, his face lighting up. "K-Korra!" he exclaimed. "You're okay!"

"Yes, I am," she assured, smiling.

Noatak looked around, still sitting. "W-What happened? W-What are they going to do with you?"

Korra sighed, rubbing her neck as she walked up to him. "Quite a bit happened, but...Qarnau finally has a verdict: I'm not going to be executed, and neither are you."

"I-I'm not? But then...what am I...?"

"You're still gonna have to do five years of community service for the United Republic," Korra said, slightly saddened. But she smirked as she added, "' _Whatever form that takes_.'"

"Wait," Noatak mumbled, looking down with a frown and furrowed brow. " _Community service_? They truly thought that _garbage_ was an adequate sentence for me?"

"Qarnau said that your community service is flexible enough to include military work," Korra clarified.

Noatak looked down in thought again. "I do not think I... _Wait_ ," he realized with wide eyes. He leapt to his feet, looking at Korra. "That means...?!"

Korra looked up at him, holding back happy tears. "You're gonna be able to work with Lee and Iroh."

Noatak fell into Korra, his head buried in her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him. Three months, three long months of wait and hopelessness, and Noatak wasn't going to die or suffer for what he did ten years ago. He wasn't going to die. He was going to be fine.

He was going to _live_.

"Th-thank you," he wept into her shoulder. "Thank you so much...for _everything_."

"Of course," she whispered as she hugged him back, still keeping her tears in.

They kept hugging. Eventually, one of the guards came in, asking if Noatak would like to be uncuffed. He agreed that would be a good idea, and so he was. He rubbed his freed wrists, inhaling, looking at them as though he'd just learned how to use his hands for the first time.

The cuffs had left marks, but they would heal in time. He knew it.

He turned to Korra, looking at her. He opened his mouth, trying to say something, trying to smile, but he could only shake his head. He wrapped his arms around Korra instead, giving her a proper hug, squeezing her tightly.

"Thank you," he could only whisper again. " _Thank you_..."

Korra sniffed in his arms as she returned his hug again as well, starting to feel tears rolling down her own cheeks. "Of course," she said shakily. " _Of course_..."

The guard let them hug for a little longer, but finally suggested that they both leave to reconcile somewhere more comfortable. Noatak and Korra agreed as she wiped her face, recomposing herself.

As they finally walked out together, they looked to the side. Surprisingly, Qarnau was still there waiting for them, twiddling his thumbs. He looked at Noatak, his usual haughty self seeming...weaker than normal.

Noatak looked him in the eye as they walked up to him, emotionless. "Qarnau..."

Qarnau gulped a little, speaking before he had words. "N-Noatak, I...E-Everything that I did to you—"

"Is in the past," Noatak gently stopped him, not a grain of hate in his features, quite the opposite. "I am glad that you've come to see reason, and I hope that you'll be able to _keep_ seeing it from now on."

Qarnau had nothing to say to that. He only nodded, clearing his throat. "The guards will escort you both. Korra can leave if she wishes, but there's an assessment more for Noatak before he is officially released. He will be on his way within the hour, with the items that he had on his person when he was arrested."

"Thank you," Korra said with a nod.

Qarnau returned the nod, then, after a moment's hesitation, walked away.

Korra and Noatak watched him make his way down the hall. She turned to Noatak. "Do you want me to stay?"

Noatak thought for a moment, then simply waved. "Go to everyone else. They're more than worried about you, I'm sure."

Korra gave a pained smirk. "Hey, they miss you pretty bad too."

"One heartbreak at a time, I suppose."

Korra laughed a little. She and Noatak looked back down the hall, Qarnau almost out of sight.

"You changed him, didn't you?" Noatak said, in awe. "Just like with Kuvira. Like me! Ghazan!"

"I don't think I did," Korra absently answered.

"What?" Noatak asked. "But he..."

"He let you go, but he didn't do it...happily, I guess. He was saying the public's not gonna look at him the same way anymore, that his reputation's ruined."

Noatak furrowed his brow. "That's all he said?"

"Yeah," Korra said quietly. "He's...Yeah..."

"A change of action without a change of attitude," Noatak pondered. "Hmm...Perhaps he...just needs time to adjust. Perhaps he won't have an _instant_ change like Kuvira did. Perhaps he's the kind of person whose change will be...a little more like Zaheer's."

"I was _going_ to say Zaheer," Korra mumbled.

 _But, honestly...I think I might've found a new one._

* * *

 **Notes:** I _can't_ make _up_ my _mind_ about _chapter_ lengths! SO! Noatak's fate is finally revealed! He's okay and got a happy path ahead of him! Or DOES he?

Nah he's gonna be fine. I couldn't do that after so many fake-outs already. This is not the final chapter! The epilogue chapter is coming! With proper closure and some more info on Noatak's "sentence!"

Uh...questions? Comments? Is Korra and Noatak hugging cute or is that just me? I got some "announcements" incoming with the epilogue as well. I'll keep working as much as I can.


	15. Epilogue

Two guards led Korra through brightly lit halls, them politely returning her eager chatter along the way. She looked at her hands as they walked, happily free from her cuffs. Their weight still seemed to linger a bit, though. She snorted with a smile. If she thought is was bad for her, Noatak must've felt _way_ weirder cuffless.

He was in safe hands behind her, she knew it. These guards really were nothing like the ones at the police department. Lin had made it known to Korra before the hearing that she would swiftly sort that problem out, for all present and future prisoners. But cruel guards weren't going to be an issue for Noatak, not anymore. 'Cause he was about to stop be a prisoner soon. After only one more little psych and health evaluation, and the return of his belongings, he would be freed. _Free_ , finally, at last. Well, in a sense. Really though, palling around with Iroh and Lee again in the United Forces was hardly a punishment, especially since Noatak had _so_ sincerely enjoyed himself during his time in the Black Lotus. It all made Korra smile just a little bit harder.

But, her smile soon started to fade. She realized with apprehension...what was she gonna _tell_ everyone? How was she gonna _explain_ herself to them, after what'd happened? She couldn't cut it with a simple, "Yeah, wanting to die instead of Noatak was pretty out of the blue, but neither of us are dead, so it's all good, right?" Had Kuvira already gotten back to everyone, and told them what Korra had said in the holding cell?

The current Avatar willfully confiding that she wasn't necessary anymore, that a new Avatar could take her place...How was someone supposed to just walk away from that?

Well, a speech prepared or not, the guards opened the doors leading outside, and Korra was sent back out into the world.

The first thing that Korra realized now free from prison was how _bright_ she forgot the sun was. The warmth felt _great_ , but there wasn't a cloud in the sky to block the sun, not even a little bit. Well, she assumed there wasn't at least. It was a little hard to tell while shielding her eyes. She gave her condolences to Noatak ahead of time. He was in a closed cell for months, hadn't seen the sun for _months_. Would he be okay once he got out?

Well, Kuvira was in a cell for five _years_ , and _she_ did pretty well when she first walked out of prison. A little uneasy, but she adapted pretty quick.

Yeah, Noatak was just as strong as her, if not stronger. He'd adapt too, like he always did. He'd be okay, just a little—

" _Korra_!"

Korra startled, vaguely looking up towards the myriad of voices greeting her. After she was finally able to blink herself back into focus, her eyes widened. She laughed, tears starting to well in her stinging eyes.

Everyone was already there waiting and waving for her. Mako, Bolin, Asami, Kuvira, Tenzin, his family, Lee, Iroh, Lin, Su, and even Maran. They were all _there_ for her, even after what she did.

Korra stumbled to a stop a ways in front of them, dropping her hands, looking back at them all. "G-Guys," she said with a smile, her voice starting to quiver with emotion, "I-I—"

Her words were cut short however, because Bolin, Asami, Kuvira, and Mako all rushed her and hugged her, all of them exclaiming, "You're okay!" "You're free!" "You're alright!"

"Ack! G- _Guys_!" Korra tried to say, muffled in their embrace. "You're... _crushing_ me!"

"Don't care," Asami said softly, hugging her tighter.

"I... _Erk_!" Korra squeaked. "Okay, _okay_! Just... _Bleh_! Loosen up a little!"

The four of them did just a bit, but they all still kept holding her tightly. Eventually, they did let go, giving Korra a chance to get her breath back.

She huffed, finally able to breath and see properly. She slowly looked back up at them, still in awe. "You're...all _here_ ," she said, not feeling quite as present as she should've.

"Tenzin got a radio call from one of Qarnau's associates," Mako said. "We all came as soon as we could."

"Noatak's really not gonna get executed?!" Bolin asked, fists balled up excitedly.

"W-Wait," Korra said, shaking her head. "Hold on. You guys already know?"

Kuvira nodded. "Iroh was informed on Qarnau's decision earlier today. Nothing much yet, other than neither of you were going to be executed."

"O-Oh," Korra said in thought, trying to catch up. "Huh. That's...good, I guess. Y-Yes, he's gonna be okay. He's gonna be _fine_. They're _not_ gonna kill him, and he's not gonna be imprisoned. He just has to do five years of community service in the United Forces."

"With Lee and Iroh?!" Bolin asked.

"With Lee and Iroh," Korra confirmed with a smile.

"Wah-HOOO!" Bolin yelled happily with a leap. Mako and Asami and Kuvira all laughed with him. Korra giggled softly too.

"That's _great_!" Bolin exclaimed. "That's _awesome_! You actually got him a good sentence! You showed Qarnau wrong! Hah-HAH!"

"Joke's on everyone that wanted Noatak punished," Mako said with a smirk. "It's not even really a sentence. Qarnau pretty much just gave him a job."

"And a job that he'll truly enjoy doing too," Kuvira added, smiling.

They all laughed for a little longer, that was until everyone's smiles started to fade. Korra was the last to lose hers, staring back at everyone now looking at her. She glanced down for a moment.

"There's...still an elephant in the room, isn't there?" she asked sadly.

Asami looked at her, eyes watering and shaking. "Korra, you...you never told any of us you were _willing to_..."

Korra winced. She glanced at Kuvira, who looked just as sad and betrayed as Asami. The guilt cut sharply, and she bit her lip, trying to find the right words. "I-I...I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry. It...was always in the back of my mind, as a last resort, but...I didn't _really_ think I'd ever have to use it."

"It _was_?" Mako asked in disbelief. "Then why didn't you at least _tell_ us it was?"

Korra grimaced. "Because...I promised Tenzin I wouldn't do anything reckless or stupid like that. I never told anyone, and I kept trying to make myself _forget_ I was willing to do it. But...I had to, to save Noatak, to show everyone they were wrong. It was the only thing that would've worked." She looked down, then back up with a shrug. "It did."

Asami looked down, nodding. "I-I know, and I'm _so_ glad he's okay, b-but..." She sniffed, suddenly throwing her arms around Korra again, voice shaking. "You need to _tell_ us when you're _planning_ something like that."

Korra could only stand there, overwhelmed in Asami's arms. She looked back at Kuvira, who held her hands over her chest.

It was then, right there that Korra finally felt it. Not just the tears, but her reason, the reason why she _was_ still necessary:

Everyone wasn't ready to let go of her just yet. She still needed to stay, to help them, guide them, love them all just a little bit more.

No. Raava emanating warmly inside of her insisted it as well, a _lot_ more.

"I will," Korra said, wrapping her arms reassuringly around Asami, "I promise. It doesn't all depend on me all of the time. And even if it did, you guys deserve to know what I'd do. I'm still here, and I'm gonna stay for a lot longer." After Asami finally let go, Korra gently took her arms with a small, soft smile. "I promise."

Asami smiled too, grateful, and wiped her eyes.

"Not to mention," Korra said to everyone, "Noatak's gonna be here with us for it all too."

"We can't wait," Kuvira said with a smile, exchanging excited looks with Mako and Bolin.

"Well, we're gonna have to," Korra sighed, glancing back at the court house. "Noatak's got one last assessment thing before they release him." She looked to Tenzin and all his family, turning a little sheepish. "Which means I have some time to...apologize."

"For what?" Tenzin asked.

Korra held her arm as she walked up to him. "Um...I broke my promise to you, about doing something reckless and stupid."

Tenzin raised an indignant brow. "And?"

Korra looked away, rubbing her arm. "I...can't promise I won't do it again if I have to."

As the kids all giggled, Tenzin sighed, his posture slumping as he stepped forward. "Well, self-awareness _is_ the first step to gaining and maintaining wisdom..."

He suddenly hugged Korra, surprising her, him saying softly into her shoulder, "I'll forgive you just as easily when I have to again too."

Korra stood in his arms with open, shocked eyes, still finding herself surprised with all the concern she was getting. She returned her old master's hug, head against his shoulder. "Thank you, Tenzin..."

With one last squeeze, Tenzin let Korra go, smiling with his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, Korra?" Meelo asked innocently from behind his father, with Ikki, Jinora, and Rohan peeking out as well. "Can _we_ hug you now?"

Korra giggled and held out her arms, kneeling down. "Ohh c'mere, guys."

And hug her they did, laughing and cheering and giggling, happy beyond belief that she was alright and free again. After quelling their swarm of eagerness, Korra looked up to see Lin, smiling with crossed arms.

"You always had guts, kid," the chief said. "You've tried sacrificing yourself plenty of times before, but doing it in the _legal system_? Knowing you had no way of backing out? That's somethin' else."

Korra smiled. "Thanks, Lin."

She looked to Su, who was just as proud as her sister was. She hugged Korra tightly, eyes closed as she smiled. "You never stop surprising me with _just_ how brave and wise you really are," she said softly.

Korra smiled gently in her arms. "Well, I've had a lot of teachers, you and Lin being two of them."

Su laughed softly. After a lengthy squeeze and a rub of Korra's back, she let her go.

Standing behind them was Iroh. As Korra turned to look at him, the general uncrossed one of his arms to rub his neck, clearing his throat. "Um...what they said, I suppose. I-I don't want to start a speech or anything, but, uh...you're really brave, always have been."

Korra shrugged. "I don't mind a bit of a speech."

"No, no, really," he insisted. "It'd take a while, I swear."

Korra laughed. "Well, I still appreciate it, even if I can't hear it." She looked over. "Lee?"

Lee rubbed his wrist, still shocked and a little more soft-spoken than normal. "I'm...really glad you're not dead. But...thank you, so much, for...almost being dead. For saving Noatak specifically, I mean."

Korra smiled. "He's gonna be fine. He _is_ fine. He's as himself as he's ever been."

"Thank you," Lee returned with equal smile.

Korra nodded. She turned, and lastly, there was Maran, smiling warmly, proudly. They both shared a long sigh.

"Ohh Korra," Maran said, walking up to her. "What can I say that everyone hasn't said already?" She put her arms around her, and Korra did the same. "Thank you so much for what you did. I couldn't ever repay you."

"You wouldn't have to," Korra said softly. "Noatak being alive and free is all the payment I need."

Surprisingly, Maran was the first one to pull away from their hug. She truly seemed at peace with what'd almost happened. She just wanted to see her son again.

With her and everyone else happy, relieved, and understanding, Korra turned towards them all, smiling. "Noatak'll be out soon!" she announced. "And he's been wanting to see us all for a _long_ time! I think it's best we make him feel as welcome as possible once he's free."

After cheers and approval from everyone, they all began their wait.

It wasn't a long one. An hour at most, a little less than that at least. If everyone wasn't already ecstatic waiting for Korra, they were now as they waited for Noatak.

Eventually, the doors of the court house opened. Everyone whirled around like rabaroos to look.

"There you go," a guard said. "You're in General Iroh's custody now. He should be here waiting for you. Stay safe."

After giving thanks and the door being closed behind him, Noatak turned around with a heavy step, wearing his dark blue Water Tribe coat and boots once again. He stood tall and strong despite his bruises and marked wrists, his head held high. He breathed the fresh air of the outdoors in deeply, feeling the warmth of the hot sun on his face. _Finally_ , he was out of prison, out of a cell, back in the world.

And, as he exhaled with a smile on his face, he relished every bit of it as much as he possibly could.

"Oh!" Maran exclaimed upon seeing him. " _Noatak_!"

Noatak's eyes widened at the sound of her voice. Her looked over at her as she ran to him, tearing up just the same. " _Mother_..."

He ran to meet her as well, and they fell into each other's arms. Everyone decided to let them be for a moment, and look on.

"Oh," Maran sobbed, gripping his back. "Oh, Noatak. I've missed you..."

"I've missed you too," Noatak said, holding her tight, chin on her shoulder as he stared at the ground. "I've missed you so, _so_ much."

"When...when Korra came," Maran said, shaking her head, "and told me that you'd been arrested, I...I was so worried, that they...that they might've _executed_ you without a _trial_ for what happened..."

"I'm fine, Mother," Noatak reassured. "I'm fine. I'm alive, right here, right now, with you. I'm not hurt. I'm not in pain. I'm _free_ , thanks to Korra. I'm _not_ going to be taken away from you like that, never again. I promise."

"Oh," Maran still wept. "Noatak..."

Korra smiled with tear-filled eyes as they all watched them. She could've sworn she caught Kuvira wiping her eyes once or twice too.

Once Maran finally let go of Noatak, she held his arms, looking up at his face, smiling. "Noatak...I'm so happy."

He smiled back. "As am I. I promise you, General Iroh and Lee will find ways to let us meet. This is not the last time we'll get to see each other. Even though I am being forced to do this, I would want to be doing it anyways."

After one last small hug with his mother, Noatak turned to look at everyone else. He smiled regretfully as he met each of their eyes. "Everyone," he said heavily, but happily, "I...I can't believe...that after all this time, all that I've gone through...I'm—"

"Group hug!" Korra declared.

"I...Ahh!"

Korra got to Noatak first, him grunting as she made impact, wrapping her arms around him. Bolin and Asami quickly followed, Noatak grunting for both of them as well. Mako figured to cut Noatak a little slack with his hug. Maran laughed gently to the side.

"O-Oh!" Noatak chuckled. "Aha- _alright_ , everyone! I... _ook_! M-Must we do this?"

"This is revenge!" Korra joked with a grin. "I got mobbed when I first came out too!"

"I thought you all would've preferred me to hug _each_ of you!"

"All at once!" Bolin said. "Team Avatar tradition! It's way more efficient!"

Noatak chuckled, and everyone let him go. As he took a friendly punch in the shoulder from Mako, and returned a smile from Asami, Bolin jumped up with a laugh.

"You're free!" he said, positively overjoyed. "I just... You're free! You're _free_!"

"For the most part," Noatak said with an eager nod. "But...yes, I could've had it far worse than military custody."

"You're alright?" Mako asked. "Like, you feel like yourself?"

"As ever," Noatak answered confidently. "I'm more than ready for military work."

"Are you...sure you don't feel scared about it?" Asami asked. "At all? You think you'll be alright?"

"Scared?" Noatak asked back. "Hardly. Even though I'm in legal custody, I'm finally the master of my own body, my own will once again. I haven't always been, but now? After all this?" He looked down at his clenched fists, smiling. "I feel third time's the charm for me."

As they all laughed and cheered, Lee started to walk up, almost timid.

Noatak looked over, and noticed him, his smile leaving his face instantly. "L- _Lee_..."

Lee took off his cap. "Noatak."

Noatak struggled for words. "Lee, I... After everything you and I have gone through, I-I—"

Lee cut off his sentence with a snorted, smirking as he held out his arms. "Oh get _over_ here ya big idiot."

Noatak hesitated, then melted into a smile. He ran to Lee, clasping his arms around his old lieutenant.

"Lee," he still said, "I'm...I'm so sorry that I didn't...at the embassy..."

"You don't need to be sorry," Lee consoled. "Them three months weren't your fault, the guards, nothin' was. You're free now. It's over. You're still you. Nothin's changed, nothin's different." He pulled away, his eyes not meeting Noatak's. "Well...maybe just _one_ thing..."

Noatak became worried. "What is that?"

Lee slowly looked up, smirking. "Ya gotta call me ' _sir_ ' from now on."

Noatak couldn't help but laugh. "Oh come _on_ , Lee."

Lee looked down with his hands on his hips. "Yeah, feels wrong to me too."

Noatak shook his head, smiling. There truly was nothing that had changed between them. "So, what's the word on my 'sentence' exactly? Anything I should know about?"

"Iroh's the one that got the intel," Lee said with a gesture of his head. "The specifics ain't nothin' to write home about anyways. You just gotta listen to what we say, that kinda junk. But, hey, you shouldn't be worrying 'bout that stuff just yet," he said, glancing behind himself and stepping away. "Ya still got some people that wanna see you first."

Noatak raised a brow, then, as he turned, suddenly found himself getting hugged by Kuvira. He stepped a little in her arms, surprised.

"I'm so happy for you," she said with closed eyes, her voice soft yet intense with empathy, her embrace equally tight yet gentle.

Noatak looked down at her, then smiled as well, returning her hug with a squeeze. "Thank you. Thank you so much, for everything you did to help me."

"I couldn't have done anything less," she honestly insisted.

They hugged for a little more, until Kuvira pulled away, her hands folded in front of herself. She struggled to look him in the eye, hesitant. "Three months," she said quietly. "I'm glad that's all it was, but..." She met his eyes. "It was still too much."

Noatak's brow softened. He nodded sadly. "I have a feeling none of it will be too long lasting for me, but...I am grateful it's in the past, ready to be forgotten."

Kuvira nodded, eyes on the ground. She managed to smirk. "Freedom. It's...a little overwhelming, isn't it?"

Noatak looked to the sunny horizon, breathing in and out. "It's something else to have again for certain. But..." He smiled at her. "I think I will cope."

Kuvira smiled too, but looked back down again. Noatak creased his brow, and gently put his arm around her, giving her one last little reassuring side-hug, squeezing her shoulder. She returned it, smiling with closed eyes, grateful. She went back over with Korra and the others, who put a reassuring hand on her shoulder as well.

Assured she would be fine, Noatak turned to Lin. She smiled a certain kind of smile, her arms crossed, almost a little motherly. "You're alright," she said.

"I am," he affirmed with a nod. "Thank you, for all you did for me. Every book, every time you sat down with me, it made all those days go by just that much quicker."

"You're welcome," she said with a nod as well. "It was nothing."

"But everything to me."

Lin smiled, almost teary-eyed, and put her hand on Noatak's shoulder with a pat. He looked over, and saw Suyin. She smiled with folded arms, happy, proud, almost in tears herself. "I doubt you have anything new to thank me for," she joked.

"I'm afraid not," Noatak returned, smiling. "A pity I don't though. You deserve so much more thanks for giving me the confidence to face my death."

She nodded, wiping her eyes happily. "I did what I could. Thank you."

Truly, as Noatak stood there, surrounded by so many people that cared for him, that would drop everything to help him, he knew he had nothing to fear in his future now. With all the wisdom they'd given him, he could go through his past ten times over, and only be stronger because of it.

"Hey!" Korra suddenly said. "Noatak! How come the sun isn't hurting _your_ eyes?"

He turned to her. "Oh. Did it for you?"

"Yeah! And I was only in there for one night!"

"Oh," he said, glancing down. "I am sorry. Part of my last evaluation was a little...light sensitivity therapy, of sorts. They led me go outside, slowly, with my eyes shielded, until I was adjusted. It hurt then if that's what you wanted."

"What?!" Korra exclaimed in comically over-reactive disbelief. "Why didn't _I_ get that?!"

Noatak laughed. "I guess they thought you'd be fine! You were incarcerated for only a night, while I had three months. A blind warrior wouldn't be the most useful asset for the United Forces." He looked over at Lin and Su, and smirked. "Un...less perhaps I was an earthbender."

"And an asset you will be," Iroh said.

Noatak looked over at him. He nodded with confidence, stepping forward. "Yes, I shall. If what I'm expected to do is anything like what we did in the Black Lotus, I won't disappoint."

"No one would have to convince on that," Iroh said with a smile.

"Should I know of the specifics now?" Noatak asked. "If you've been given them all already?"

"Qarnau had all the specifics sent to me earlier today," Iroh answered. "Everything's accounted for. I'll inform you more once we actually deploy, but..." He seemed to hesitate. "One of the things you should know _now_ is...there's supposed to be a squad of guards sent to the base, guards that are trained in chi-blocking."

Noatak's eyes widened. Everyone else gasped in shock too. " _Oh_ ," he muttered fearfully, wearily. The past really _was_ not willing to let go of him.

"Yes," Iroh said quietly, sadly. He started to smile. "It's a _shame_ that there's a squad of our own soldiers at the base right now, ready to intercept their deployment."

" _Real_ shame," Lee joined in, walking up. "Routine security checks. Total hassle to get around, y'know?"

Noatak blinked, shook his head in disbelief. "W-Wait. Lee...you're _risking_ —?"

" _I_ am," Iroh said with a step, smoldering with latent intensity. "My idea entirely. Keeping you incarcerated in any way is completely unnecessary. The court's orders are as skewed and brutal as they could come. If you _were_ to disobey orders or anything of the sort, which I can't see _you_ doing for any dishonest reason, _then_ we 'might' have to take some harsher action with you." He stepped back, calming. "But if anyone's going to be making mistakes around here, it's me."

"Yeah," Lee said with a smirk. "It'd be him."

"I promise you," Iroh said to Noatak, "no chi-blocker is going to get near you so long as you're in my custody. In fact, 'custody' is even too strong a word. I have no cells or anything chosen for you, no cuffs, and certainly no chi-blocking or other type of restraint planned. By my book...you're already a free man."

Noatak had to take pause for a moment. Iroh was always a man of his word. With him and Lee by his side, he knew they wouldn't let anything happen to him that shouldn't. He breathed out, relaxing, smiling. "I _feel_ free. Freer than I've felt since we all last worked together."

"Well, we'll have plenty more work to do," Iroh said. "Tracking down whoever bombed the Earth Embassy is a good case to start with."

Noatak nodded. "Agreed. The Red Lotus, _any_ terrorists or bandits need to be shown that fear's not the only way to accomplish a goal."

Iroh nodded. "We'll make sure they won't have to live like that anymore, for good." He looked over at Maran, walking up to her. "Your son is in safe hands with us, ma'am. The safest. I promise you."

She suddenly hugged him, to his surprise. "I know," she said softly. "Thank you. Thank you for doing this for Noatak."

As she pulled away, Iroh smiled reassuringly. "I'll be sure to have a detailed list of all our arrivals here in Republic City sent to you. I don't see why you and Noatak can't meet whenever you're able."

Maran nodded with a smile. "I would greatly appreciate that."

"That's all of you included too," Iroh said, looking at everyone. "So long as I'm general here, Noatak can see whoever he wants to whenever he can."

"That sounds like a fair deal," Mako said with a nod, everyone agreeing as well.

With everyone happy and contented and informed on what was in store for Noatak, and with him, Lee, and Iroh seeming ready to head off, Korra looked around. "So," she hesitantly asked Iroh, "are these all our last goodbyes? For now, at least?"

"No, actually," Iroh said honestly. "Not yet, not today. Our official deployment isn't until tomorrow evening. I mean, we _could_ attend to a few supply matters back at base, but we can do them before we leave tomorrow just as easily. There's no need for us to leave yet."

"Oh," Korra said in surprise, the others just as pleasantly shocked. "That's...awesome!" She looked around again. "So, uh...what do we do 'til then?"

#

Noatak laughed loudly, heartily.

"Oh no!" he corrected in his seat, drink in hand. "I'm afraid that particular time was on _you_ , Bolin!"

" _You're_ one to talk!" Bolin blurted back, sitting on another couch in Tenzin's living room. "How many people've _you_ dated, huh? Why don't we find _you_ a girlfriend or somethin' and see how many awesome decisions _you_ make under pressure!"

"O-Oh," Noatak said sheepishly, glancing down. "I-I don't think I could handle...H-Hey! I'm a working man now! In the United Forces! I couldn't be a decent partner to someone I hardly see!"

"Well," Mako said with a smirk, sitting next to Lee, "maybe you'll get teamed up with some spunky little cadet along the way!" He leaned towards Lee. "You could make somethin' like that happen, right?"

Lee started to smirk as well, lowering his drink. "General, requesting full team recruitment and assignment privileges."

"Permission granted, Captain."

"Oh curse you," Noatak muttered with a smile, embarrassedly covering his face.

Kuvira glanced at the four of them over her shoulder, sitting with Asami and Korra and Lin at a counter, all with drinks of their own. She couldn't help but chuckle. "Ohhh my," she sighed. "When those five get going, there's no stopping them."

"There's no need to," Korra said, watching them more closely with a soft smile. "That's what tonight's all about: having as much fun with Noatak as we can."

Lin huffed, her arms crossed on the counter-top. "Well _I'm_ gonna be 'all about' some sleep pretty soon here..."

"Whoa," Asami said with a smirk, raising her glass to her lips. "Never thought I'd hear quitter talk from _Lin Beifong_."

As Kuvira and Korra sputtered in their drinks, Lin only smirked. "It ain't quitter talk. You crazy cat-owls just don't understand how important sleep is."

"Not always," Korra admitted, wiping her cheek. "But, c'mon, look how happy Noatak is. Do you really wanna stop _this_ now?"

Indeed, Noatak was overflowing with joy, laughing and holding his stomach as Bolin drank from three glasses all at once, with Mako and Lee and Iroh all cheering him on.

"...Actually," Asami said, "we probably should stop this pretty soon."

After the inevitable wave of frenzied yells from the living room, Kuvira sighed. "I'll find Pema and a mop," she muttered, getting up off of her seat.

"Just the mop," Korra quietly said with a wave. "Pema doesn't need to know."

Although the impromptu drinking contest had ended just as soon as it started, everyone had been celebrating together on Air Temple Island ever since Korra and Noatak were released from prison earlier that day. It was already well into the night, but that didn't stop anyone from doing whatever they could with Noatak's newfound freedom. If it was fun, enjoyable, or just worth a laugh, it was done with immense enthusiasm.

Of course, it wasn't an evening _only_ for games. Some serious matters had to be tended to. Most notably, with Noatak still unable to live with Maran, and her not quite certain if she should keep living on her own, she was in need of people to stay with. Tenzin's family was the obvious candidate, but Lin suggested that Maran could stay with her and Kya, at least temporarily, until a possibly better place was found. It was not the poorest of places for her to go. She would be living with people that cared for her, and she'd be that much closer to the United Forces when Iroh's battalion would return. Maran took the chief's offer with unending gratitude.

But before any games or conversation had started, Korra's first order of business upon everyone's return to Air Temple Island, was to ask Noatak if he would like a full healing massage. After all the chi-blocking he underwent, to be completely healed, properly soothed, would be a monumental thing for him and his health. He agreed.

After he got his coat and shirt off, Korra winced in pain and regret. The bruises were unfortunately reformed, a patchwork of black and red all over his broad shoulders, his back, his arms, sides, stomach, neck, everywhere. Luckily, bruises were the easiest of wounds for a waterbender to heal. Korra still took her time being gentle though, slowly soothing Noatak back into healthiness. She was shocked at how incredibly tense he was, how he managed to act so... _normal_ even though he was in constant pain.

But, who was she to talk?

After quite the relaxing session, she finished, and it was mightily obvious how much Noatak had been re-energized from her healing. He'd sat up with a sudden, deep breath, like he'd been holding it in while diving. The bruises had reached quite deep, all over his torso, to the point it affected his breathing, but no longer. And Noatak didn't just look like a new man, but he said he _felt_ like one too, limber again, lighter even.

And so, per his eager request, the two of them promptly began sparring on the island plaza, just like they had when he first arrived in Republic City three months ago. Mako and Kuvira and Bolin all jumped in every other round or so too, but didn't stay in for terribly long, as none of them were quite on par with Noatak and Korra's level of intensity.

It was when the good-natured bets started on every round that Tenzin, Maran, and even Su all voiced their concern about Noatak straining himself or possibly getting critically injured in some way, that he should be taking it easy after just being released. Korra had stopped in concern mid-fight, genuinely listening to their words. However, that moment of hesitation allowed her to be immediately shoulder-slammed by Noatak. Everyone on the sidelines emitted a vicarious "ooh" as she hit the ground.

Korra grunted in the dirt as she sat back up. She instinctively tensed up, expecting a wave of water to be hitting her, but nothing did. As she slowly opened her eyes, she only found Noatak's outstretched hand helpfully reaching down towards her.

"I don't think any injury I could sustain here would be very far above her healing," he assured everyone watching. He looked down at Korra, and smirked. "That is, if you _get_ the chance to injure me, of course."

Korra smirked as well with a wince, clasping her dirtied hand with his. "Oh don't tempt me."

Sparring wasn't the only outdoor activity they partook in. Feeding the sky bison and lemurs, and just walking around the island were done plenty, but once everyone was a little more tame after all the sparring, everyone joined Pema and Tenzin's kids to play some simple catch, even some various airbender ball games. They all reveled in the simple, innocent fun for quite a long while, even after the sun went down. Somehow, it ended up turning into a five on one game, the one being Noatak. Everyone was surprised that he managed to hold his own against the kids' and Korra's airbending, all while using no bending himself. Despite the kids being absolutely wowed by his skill, he took little pride in that feat. The thrill that he was _able_ to _do_ something like play ball again was exhilarating enough.

Eventually, everyone tired a bit too much to keep up with the kids, and so the later half of the evening was spent relaxing and chatting, and drinking together.

After Kuvira had cleaned up Bolin's mess, and scolded the others for encouraging him to even do it (they insisted it was purely his idea), everyone else came in from outside.

Korra looked over at them all, smiling. "How's everyone doing?" she asked.

"Wonderfully," Tenzin answered. "The kids are finally tired, Pema too. They need _some_ sleep tonight, even if we _are_ celebrating."

Lin looked over at Noatak, and smirked. "Speaking of, how's the man of the hour doing?"

Noatak stood from his seat with a smiling sigh, and walked over to them, an empty glass in hand. "'Man of the hour' is a bit much, but...better than in my whole life, I think." He set it down on the counter, and looked at Tenzin. "Thank you for holding this celebration here for me. It means the world that you all would do this."

"You are welcome," Tenzin said with a nod, smiling. "We would've done anything for you. Anything for a friend."

Maran walked up to them, touching her son's arm. "You _are_ doing well, aren't you?"

Noatak couldn't hide his happiness. "Immeasurably so, Mother. I haven't felt this bright since I first moved in with you. It's all I could ask for."

Maran closed her eyes, just as happy. "I'm glad. I'm glad that you'll be making a difference in the world with Lee and Iroh, helping people, like you've always wanted to." She hugged him. "I couldn't think of a better future for you..."

Korra gently smiled with folded arms. With all conversation in the room hitting a lull, she looked around at everyone there, happy, enjoying theirselves and each other. It all started to seize her up a little bit. Everyone had made their way there, to that moment, in different ways, for different reasons. They were all friends she made by chance, friends she made by choice, friends who most would've said she _shouldn't_ have made, _couldn't_ have made, but did anyway. She sighed.

"Wow," she said, everyone listening and looking at her. "I...can't believe we've all made it here, after all we've been through. It's been hard, it's been tough, but we did pull through. There's things that didn't need to happen, that didn't _have_ to happen, things I wish I could change." She glanced down for a second. "But...maybe those bad things that happened...make now all the more worth it."

"Oh _cheers_ to _that_ ," Mako said with a smile and a raise of his glass, the others raising and clinking theirs too, everyone agreeing.

"Life's tough!" Bolin said, reciting something. "But that doesn't mean you can't be too!"

Lee snorted. "Which Avatar you quotin' _there_? Roku?"

"No, no," Iroh corrected. "That sounds a bit more like _Aang_ , if anyone."

"Well I know I heard it from _some_ Avatar!" Bolin insisted.

Asami smirked, standing next to Korra. "You said that once, didn't you?" she asked quietly.

Korra smiled. "Something like that."

Kuvira smiled too, gently swirling her drink as she sat. "Korra, you _really_ should start writing all your little wisdoms down somewhere. It'd make a nice little book one day."

"Yeah, really," Asami agreed. " _I'd_ read it."

"Oh," Korra said sheepishly, rubbing her neck. "I'm...not much of a writer." She gave a haughty look towards Kuvira. "I believe _you_ already claimed that spot in Team Avatar, Miss Prime Minister."

Kuvira chuckled. "I'll start keeping a list for you, if it'd help."

"That'd be nice."

Some calmer talking went on for a little while longer. No one got out of hand like Bolin and the others did, but that was probably only because Tenzin, Maran, and Su were there.

Amidst the conversations, Noatak excused himself from the room. No one made any moves to stop him, and no one worried about him either.

Neither did Korra, for once.

But, that still didn't stop her from excusing herself too eventually.

She walked from the living room, outside of Tenzin's home. She looked across the plaza with casually folded arms, and smiled.

Noatak was right where she thought he'd be. He stood on the edge of the plaza, looking out at Republic City over the bay. She couldn't blame him. It was a _beautiful_ night. The dark blue sky, the shining stars, the yellow glow of the spirit portal reflecting over the water of the bay, it was everything Noatak could've hoped to see outside of prison. Korra assumed it was, at least. He looked quite mesmerized.

As she got closer to him, she sighed happily. "So," she asked, stopping on his right. "how do you feel?"

"Astounding," he said with a smile, still looking at the bay. "Amazing. _Alive_! Um...free?"

Korra giggled. "I'm sorta surprised you didn't lead with that."

"Well, I have a lot more on my mind than who's the person that's supposed to be keeping tabs on me at every moment."

After a moment, he glanced at her, then back at the bay. "I apologize. I really should be with everyone else, but..." He gestured at the view around them. "It's just so _beautiful_..."

Korra nodded, understanding. "Don't worry, I get it. We all do. You can do whatever you want tonight, whatever you need. Kuvira did plenty of just looking at the sky too."

"I think she does normally anyways," Noatak said with a smirk.

"Yeah," Korra agreed with a tilted head. "She's wistful like that." She stared at the spirit portal for a moment, feeling quite wistful herself. "I guess being alone means you're seeing everyone enough tonight."

"I've had more of them than I thought I ever could." Noatak snorted at himself, thinking back to Bolin. "In the best and the most... _demeaning_ of ways. And besides, even if I didn't, Iroh said he and Lee will find plenty of opportunities for us all to meet, when none of us are too busy of course."

"I know. I just want to make sure you get your fill before you have to leave."

"True. But again I won't be gone forever. And I just...need to take it in waves, steadily, not push myself all at once."

"Oh," Korra said, surprised. "I understand that, totally. After Toph helped me get better, trying to get right back into things with everyone didn't flow as well as I hoped it would."

"Mm," Noatak said in understanding. "That's...unfortunate, and hard to see."

They were both silent for a long moment.

"...Speaking of," Noatak muttered heavily, shifting as he stood, "I was...shocked, when you did what you did, at the court house. Or, tried to do, at least."

Korra didn't really feel like she'd been on death row hours ago because of her own demand before this moment. "Everyone was."

"Was that your endgame from the start?" Noatak asked. "Sacrificing yourself in my place?"

Korra bit the inside of her cheek, looking down. "It was a last resort." She looked away completely. "A last resort I was tempted to pull from the beginning."

"But you didn't."

"I didn't."

Noatak kept his head up towards the portal for a moment, but his eyes fell downward. His head soon did too. "I...was ready to die on my own, you know," he said humbly. "I was prepared, because of you and Su."

"I know." Korra paused, her eyes moving back up. "But I'm never going to allow that."

"What if you can't in the future?" Noatak asked, looking at her.

"I always will," she said, returning his gaze, "because I have to, because I know I can."

Noatak only stared at her, in surprise and pride, then chuckled. "Your determination is boundless."

"You're not too weak yourself," she said with a smirk, gently punching him in the shoulder.

He chuckled again as he rubbed his arm, looking back at the portal with Korra. She sighed, folding her arms again.

"Oh," she remembered. "Iroh told me something earlier. He said that chi-blocking squad that was sent to the United Forces base wasn't actually sent by Qarnau, or anyone working for him. It was...someone else."

"Really? Who?"

"A few _unbiased_ people from the jury that weren't very happy with all the leeway Qarnau gave you."

"Oh," Noatak said in sad surprise. He furrowed his brow. "What did they have to manipulate to make _that_ happen?"

"Dunno," Korra wondered with a shrug. "Tenzin said he caught Qarnau making an announcement on the radio: he doesn't know exactly who made it happen either yet, but he won't let anything like that happen again. Sounds like he and Lin are both gonna do some corruption shut-downs."

"Yes," Noatak said softly with a rub of his chin. "That's...elating news to hear."

Korra looked down, her lip pursed in thought. "Y'know I'm still not sure if Qarnau knowing how close you and Iroh and I all are is kinda creepy or not. I mean, it's how he got you the sentence he did, but...still."

"Well we _were_ a little publicized," Noatak reminded. "It hardly would've taken much digging. I'm glad he's so resourceful. Hopefully he'll be able to put that to good use in the future."

"I really hope so too," Korra said softly, staring out at Republic City.

#

Qarnau walked into his office, massaging the ridge of his nose. He shut the door heavily behind him with an equally heavy sigh. It had been...too long a day. He was used to stress, but committee after committee coming at him with the same harsh assertions about Noatak and Korra, over and over again...it took its toll. It was at times like these that he began to consider coffee, tea, anything.

He trudged over to his desk, glancing out at one of the windows. Curses, it _was_ that dark out already. Another walk home in the dark.

Well, he couldn't blame anyone but himself for that, he told himself as he took his seat. The fault was all on him. The fault was on _him_ that his once trusted opinion was being berated by every news peddler in the city. That's what he _got_ for trying to imprison a man that wasn't even a threat anymore.

Qarnau scowled at himself. He _deserved_ all the battering, the polarizing claims, the dwindling public opinion. Better he just let himself fade into obscurity, rather than try to scrabble for dignity all while he fell. There was only _one_ future a man like him could look forward too. There was no reason anymore to think of him as a _judge_. There was...

There...was...

A paper, resting gently on his desktop. A letter, now that he focused on it more, neatly folded.

Qarnau stared at it with a frown for a long minute. He even considered throwing it away. Why bother? No reach towards him would save his career. He wouldn't even have to pay his bills soon.

But, despite his usual cynicism, Qarnau found himself kind of just...picking it up. He started to open it too. Indeed, it _was_ a letter, from...

Korra.

It was a fairly ample sized message, in Korra's own handwriting, Qarnau surmised from her name on the bottom. It... _was_ her cadence in that choice of words. There was a little happy face drawn onto the bottom right corner of the page.

What did _Korra_ have to offer him _now_? An...apology? _Advice_? An explanation for how she got a letter onto his desk without an official notice? All three?

Qarnau found himself starting to read through the letter, and finishing it too. Once he did, he sat for a long while, still holding it, still looking at it. Eventually, he gently set it back down on his desk again, smoothing it out with a brush of his hand. There was no need to throw it away, quite the opposite. He looked out of that same window again, out at the night sky.

He started to smile.

For why, he wasn't entirely certain. Admiration? Appreciation? A little of both?

Well, what he _did_ know for certain was...

"Well played, Korra," Qarnau said quietly. "Well played."

#

"I just," Noatak said to Korra, trying to find his words as he looked down, "when...I left my home, when I started the revolution, when I _denied_ the revolution, when I lost control over my body, then and now...I never for once thought that you, some high-spirited girl, the _Avatar_ , would be the one to drag me free from most of those troubles."

He looked at her, his brow creased, eyes shaking. "Thank you, Korra, again. For everything you've done to help me."

Korra looked back at him, smiling with soft eyes. "You're welcome. Why would I do anything less for my worst enemy?"

Noatak blinked and raised a brow. "I thought you considered Kuvira your worst?"

"Well," Korra said, turning towards him fully, looking at his feet, "you were my... What did you say? My unique-est?"

" _Most_ unique," he corrected her.

"You sure are," she said softly, sinking into him.

Noatak let her wrap her arms around his middle in slight surprise. He smiled, wrapping his arms around her back, both of them sighing in each other's embrace. He stood with closed eyes and his head against hers for a moment, only to peek back out at the bay. Korra noticed, but only chuckled into his chest, still soaking in his warmth and listening to his deep breath.

Even though he was still _technically_ in legal custody by court orders, in both their eyes, everyone's eyes, he _was_ a free man. As Iroh had said, there were no cuffs, no cells, no paralysis, no one "forcing" him to do anything. He _wanted_ to be doing this, to be helping people, to be making a difference.

And not only did he have this sort of job ahead of him, but now? He was always going to be surrounded by people that cared about him, his family.

Life tends to work out like that.

"You really could use a girlfriend," Korra joked.

"I'm content with all I've been given for now," Noatak returned.

* * *

 **Notes:** Whoof, finally, this is the end, for real. It's finally over. Everyone's happy. I hope you've enjoyed this, somehow! What a ride this's been.

This the last time I get to say this, and I probably don't have too, but I am _so sorry_ it took so much longer to get this last chapter out than I expected. I really wanted to get it out quickly, but the more I kept writing the longer it needed to get, and a lot of big things happened recently for me (some happy, some sad), and I also wanted to make sure that this was the best conclusion I could possibly make. Ugh, pros and cons, you know? No point in ruining something by rushing it. But, it's over, it's done, finally.

So, wow, bunch of announcements about me here:

I'm not quite sure what I wanna do now, not after something so...abysmal. I'm most likely just gonna go back and proof-read Book 5 for its last final definitive edit: some additions, some alterations, typos, that kind of stuff. Same story and scenes, just maybe with a few new ones as well. I prefer the Book 5 ending over this one anyways, cuz it _is_ the actual, true ending to whatever my little story is.

But, in all seriousness, I think I _really_ need a break from fanfiction, possibly even stop completely. I'm not disinterested in it at all! Quite the contrary. But I am very burned out indeed. I don't think I got another huge story like this in me. It's not been the kindest to me, my schedule, my sanity, even though my stupid brain keeps coming up with even more little ideas. Some Korra, some Overwatch, and even a little thing for Batman: Arkham Knight, but...I think that ship might be a little too far sailed to be very impactful. Dunno, it made _me_ cry.

The only other new "big" story I think I could handle or really want to do would be "Book 3: Kuvira Edition." It'd just be a minor rewrite of some Zaofu scenes (and mayhaps an additional one or two) that would introduce Kuvira as an actual character rather than just a cameo, which would make her dynamic as the Great Uniter even more personal and hurtful. (Seriously why didn't they do that in the first place?!). I mean just imagine when the gang meets Suyin during that dance practice, Kuvira comes up and she's all, "oh my gosh, that's the Avatar!" and Su's all smiley like, "hold on now, give her some space, she _just_ got here," and Korra's all, "no, no, it's fine, I love meeting new people, who's this?" and Su's all proud like, "this is my protege, the captain of our guard, Kuvira," and Kuvira's all bright and hopeful like, "I've looked up to you ever since the Equalist Revolution, it's an honor to get to meet you," and then she befriends the gang and helps them out while they're at Zaofu, and then she wants to leave with them when they go hunt for Aiwei because they could use her help but Su doesn't want her to cuz she's the captain (and secretly still her daughter to her) and there'd be a thing or two more that would fuel her eventual leaving of Zaofu.

You know, just if you want Kuvira's arc to make you cry a little more. But really, I don't think I can write much fanfiction on any sort of real basis or schedule after that. Strictly a hobby that I'll do when I can, like I should. Does that story sound like a worthwhile idea? Did ANY idea I mention sound worthwhile to look into? Cuz I _really_ want to make the Kuvira thing happen after writing all that. Plus it'd mean I'd have to rewatch some LOK too so that's always good.

Also, a more immediate announcement, I was lucky enough to come up with ideas for some more Kuvira fluff! I've got a chapter or two in the works! Feel free to check it out if you wanna see Kuvira being her warm, fuzzy self with her kids if you haven't already. Suggestions and questions are always welcome to keep it going! It's simple, happy stuff that I cannot get enough of.

Guess I _do_ have a lot ahead of me.

Either way, I hope you've enjoyed what I've done so far and learned something good from it :)


	16. Korra's Letter

**Note:** For the heart-warming support and enthusiasm I surprisingly got for this fic, I figured this was the least I could do. I wasn't sure if I should've included it in the main story for length, flow, or contextual reasons (a _really_ poor decision on my part, really bad), but here it is, my little send-off: Korra's full letter to Qarnau, as she would write it. Also I can't exactly draw a happy face on the bottom of the page, so here's one now :)

* * *

 _Hey,_

 _I know this is the last thing you want to hear right now, and I know that I'm probably the last person you want to hear it from, but this is not where it ends for you. I've heard some of the things the press is saying about you, and believe me, I know how you feel right now. I really do. Feeling unwanted, like you got nowhere to go, like everyone's blaming you, it hurts._

 _I don't blame you though. I know how annoying "I'm sorry" can sound when you just want to be left alone, but I really am. I didn't want any of this to happen to you. I'm not proud that I hurt you or your career. I'm only hoping_ _you see how trying to hurt and punish other people only hurts yourself, how it really does not do anything beneficial for anyone. I hope that doesn't sound like I was trying to teach you some hard lesson or something, because that's not what I wanted. I only wanted to stop Noatak from suffering for what he did a second time. He's been through enough, and so have you._

 _When the world is trying to forget you, or when it hates you for what you did and won't let go, that's when you act. Now's your chance to show the press wrong! Now's the time you show them that you_ _do make good decisions! When I say you can start over, I really mean it. It's what Kuvira did, it's what I did, and now thanks to you, that's what Noatak can do too._

 _I don't want to sound like I'm trying to sign you up for a job for you, but Tenzin and the other Air Nomads always accept new monks. You don't even have to be an airbender! Actually on second thought, maybe that's not the best option for you. The beds are really uncomfortable too, even if they're supposed to be better for your back. If you want to stay with politics, maybe you can get into the Earth Parliament with Kuvira somehow! I know you're a United Republic citizen, but you'd make a good governor or cabinet member or something! Maybe if you really do want to start over completely, you could start studying the spirits and the Spirit World! There's a few people out there doing it already. You could join them! You're pretty studious. Maybe you'll find out you actually like something that you used to think you hated! If you do go into the Spirit World, try to stay in places that are quiet and colorful, not dark and scary. Spirits can affect things from the real world, but usually only if you let them. Stick with Ghazan and Ming-Hua. T_ _hey know their way around pretty well_ _._ _Don't worry, they don't hate you, and they won't hurt you either._ _They're super relaxed once you get to know them._

 _I guess if it's one thing I want you to remember, it's something I once told myself. It's helped me a lot, and I hope it does for you too:_

 _"When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change."_

 _P.S. If getting this letter was kind of a surprise for you, sorry. Mrs. Jien is really nice, and she said she could drop this on your desk for me. I figured running it by your secretary was a little more polite and a little more legal than sneaking it through your window. Not that I would've done that!_

 _~Korra_


End file.
